Matthew Higgins, BACP

Matthew Higgins began his counselling career later in life, bringing a broad base of life and work experience to his therapeutic practice. He trained in Leeds, West Yorkshire, and completed a Postgraduate Diploma in Counselling and Psychotherapy in 2021, including 100 hours of client work during placements. Since qualifying he has continued to work with a charitable counselling service in North Yorkshire, a charity focused on bereavement support, and with the Samaritans, which supports people experiencing suicidal thoughts and ideation.

Matthew works from a person-centred stance, prioritising listening, empathy and non-judgemental presence so clients have time and space to express themselves fully. He aims to create an environment where people feel respected, valued and able to bring their whole selves without fear of labels. At the same time he recognises that counselling is not one-size-fits-all and that some people may benefit from more directional or challenging interventions depending on their needs.

He works with adults of all ages and finds that people in later life often face issues such as bereavement, new relationships after separation, blending families, redundancy, career change, loneliness and isolation. Matthew is accredited with the BACP - the British Association for Counselling and Psychotherapy - and applies a flexible approach that draws on different therapeutic methods to match each client's individual circumstances.

Therapeutic Approaches and Online Support

Matthew often draws on client-centred therapy, which focuses on giving the individual space to explore their thoughts and feelings at their own pace while the therapist offers empathetic listening and acceptance - this approach is helpful for issues like low self-esteem, depression and life transitions. He also uses attachment-based therapy to explore how early relationships influence current patterns - this can be useful for relationship difficulties, grief and emotional regulation. Emotionally-Focused Therapy (EFT) may be used to help people identify and work with core emotions and attachment needs in the context of close relationships.

Finding the right approach is part of the therapeutic process and Matthew works collaboratively with each person to decide what fits best based on their needs, goals and preferences. He adapts methods rather than applying a fixed formula, and invites clients to be involved in shaping their pathway to change.

Online therapy offers practical flexibility - video calls, phone sessions, live chat and text-based messaging make it possible to access therapy around work, family and other commitments. These options increase accessibility for people living at a distance or with mobility or time constraints, and allow therapists and licensed professionals to maintain continuity of care across locations.