Lorraine McDonnell, BACP

Lorraine McDonnell helps people who feel trapped by constant worry, overthinking, and rehearsing worst-case scenarios. She understands how overwhelming anxiety can be because she has experienced it herself, and she brings that personal insight to her work as an online CBT therapist. Her approach is practical and compassionate, aimed at reducing mental strain and giving people tools to feel more in control of their thoughts and their day-to-day life.

She adapts therapy to each person, drawing on client-centered and cognitive behavioural methods to promote self-understanding and steady progress. Client-centered therapy focuses on listening, respect, and supporting clients to find their own answers, while CBT examines thought patterns and develops strategies to change unhelpful thinking and behaviour. Lorraine has worked with adults dealing with grief, anxiety, depression, low self-esteem, relationship issues, addiction, and life transitions, among other concerns.

Sessions are framed as a respectful, nonjudgmental space where clients can explore difficult feelings, process loss, and build practical coping skills. Lorraine aims to help people gain clarity, practice new ways of responding, and move toward goals that matter to them. She holds BACP membership, which is the British Association for Counselling and Psychotherapy, a UK professional body for counsellors and psychotherapists.

Approaches that inform online support

Client-centered therapy emphasizes a warm, nonjudgmental listening stance where the therapist supports the client's own exploration and self-directed growth. It is helpful for people who need space to understand their feelings, build self-worth, and regain confidence after loss or life changes.

Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) focuses on identifying and changing unhelpful thoughts and behaviours through practical exercises and skills-building. CBT is often used for anxiety, depression, stress, and coping with repetitive negative thinking, offering concrete strategies to ease symptoms and improve daily functioning.

Finding the right approach is part of the therapeutic journey. Lorraine collaborates with each person to decide which methods fit their needs, goals, and preferences, adjusting techniques over time so therapy remains relevant and effective. This collaborative process helps tailor sessions to what will be most useful for the individual.

Online therapy offers flexibility through video calls, phone sessions, live chat, and text-based messaging, making it easier to fit sessions into busy lives or access support from home. These options allow for ongoing engagement between appointments and make it possible to receive consistent support while balancing work, family, and other commitments.