Debra "Debs" Barritt, BACP

Debra "Debs" Barritt brings 15 years of counselling experience and a deep commitment to community to her work. She trained initially in person-centred counselling and has carried that client-focused perspective through a varied career that includes running a private practice and providing counselling for the platform. Debs holds the BACP credential - membership of the British Association for Counselling and Psychotherapy - which reflects her professional affiliation and training.

Her own early life experiences, including growing up in a broken home and attending a boarding school for so-called 'maladjusted' children, shaped her desire to support others. Those experiences led her to study part-time youth work at Brunel University and later to roles in bereavement support. Time spent working in the bereavement service at St Michael's Hospice in Basingstoke was formative, and she often recalls the quiet, human moments that counselling at the end of life can bring.

Debs is a mother of two sons and a grandmother, and she now lives in Haverhill while maintaining professional connections in Basingstoke. She has extensive experience helping people navigate grief and loss, as well as a wide range of concerns including stress, anxiety, relationship and intimacy issues, addictions, trauma, parenting challenges, career questions, and changes across the lifespan. Having come through difficult times herself, she frames her work around hope and resilience and invites people to get in touch to learn how she might help.

Therapeutic Approaches for Online Support

Client-Centered Therapy is rooted in listening and treating the client as the expert in their own experience. It focuses on empathy, acceptance, and building a trusting relationship, which can help with issues like low self-esteem, relationship concerns, and coping with life changes.

Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) looks at the connections between thoughts, feelings, and behaviours. It uses practical strategies to address patterns that contribute to anxiety, depression, stress, and some forms of trauma, helping people develop new ways of responding to difficult situations.

Internal Family Systems (IFS) explores the different parts of a person - the inner voices and feelings that can be in conflict - and aims to help those parts find balance and healing, often useful for trauma, attachment issues, and complex emotional patterns.

Finding the right approach is part of the therapeutic process and will be explored collaboratively. A therapist will work with each person to identify priorities, try different techniques, and adapt the approach to fit individual needs, goals, and preferences.

Online therapy with Debs is offered through video calls, phone sessions, live chat, and text-based messaging. These options make it easier to fit sessions into busy lives, maintain continuity during transitions, and access support from home or work, offering flexibility and a range of ways to connect with a licensed professional.