Michelle Copley, BACP

Michelle Copley is a BACP-registered counsellor who has worked with people facing a wide range of difficulties for more than a decade. She qualified in 2011 and has supported clients with trauma including PTSD, grief, relationship challenges, opioid and alcohol addiction, parenting concerns, self-harm and suicidal thoughts, depression, and anxiety. Michelle combines professional training with a warm, engaging style to help people make sense of their experiences and move forward.

Working as an integrative counsellor, she draws on multiple therapeutic methods and selects techniques that best suit each person’s needs, creating a personalised plan aimed at the outcomes the client wants to achieve. Her collaborative psycho-educational approach keeps sessions conversational and informative - she asks about current struggles, helps clients gain fresh perspectives, and teaches practical skills and concepts that can be applied beyond therapy.

Michelle regularly uses Cognitive Behavioural Therapy and Transactional Analysis alongside Dialectical Behaviour Therapy and other qualified modalities to address patterns of thought, emotion, and relationship dynamics. Since the COVID-19 pandemic she has focused on online practice, finding that many clients appreciate working from familiar surroundings without the need for travel. Throughout the work she offers a supportive, respectful presence and aims to help people regain balance and confidence in their lives.

Therapeutic approaches for online care

Michelle integrates evidence-based methods to tailor work to each person’s needs. Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT) focuses on identifying and changing unhelpful thoughts and behaviours, and is often used for anxiety, depression, and stress-related problems. Dialectical Behaviour Therapy (DBT) teaches skills for managing intense emotions, tolerating distress, and improving interpersonal effectiveness, which can be helpful for emotion regulation and relationship difficulties. A client-centered approach places the person’s experience at the heart of therapy, offering a respectful, collaborative space where the therapist listens, reflects, and supports personal growth.

Finding the right approach is part of the therapeutic process. Michelle works collaboratively with clients and licensed professionals to identify which methods best align with a person’s goals, preferences, and life circumstances, and she adapts the plan as progress unfolds.

Online therapy offers practical flexibility - sessions by video call or phone fit around work, caregiving, and daily life, while live chat and text-based messaging provide options for those who prefer written communication or more frequent check-ins. These formats make it easier to access consistent support without travel, helping clients maintain continuity of care alongside other commitments.