Nicola Spence, BACP

Nicola Spence is a UK-credentialed therapist with three years of professional experience who supports people dealing with stress, anxiety, grief and loss, motivation difficulties, low self-esteem and confidence, and depression. She works from a human-centred, compassion-focused and trauma-informed stance, believing that each person is shaped by their life experiences and brings unique strengths and challenges to therapy. Nicola is registered with the BACP - the British Association for Counselling and Psychotherapy - which is a professional body for counsellors and psychotherapists in the United Kingdom.

Rather than relying on symptom checklists or diagnostic labels, Nicola aims to understand the whole person and the context of their difficulties. She is transparent about this approach and notes that if a client prefers a more diagnostic or label-driven method, she may not be the most suitable practitioner for their needs. Therapy with Nicola begins by exploring what brings someone to seek support and building a shared narrative of their life story.

From that shared understanding she helps clients draw connections between past experiences and present struggles, working collaboratively to identify options and plan the direction of therapy. Nicola describes her role as empowering - offering choices and partnering with clients as they take steps toward change. She respects the courage it takes to be vulnerable, values the therapeutic relationship as central to healing, and welcomes the opportunity to meet and work with people ready to begin this process.

Therapeutic Approaches and Online Support

Nicola works with approaches that focus on values, relationships and the individual experience. Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT) helps people clarify their values and take committed action even when difficult thoughts or feelings are present - it can be useful for anxiety, low mood and motivation struggles. Attachment-Based Therapy explores how early and current relationship patterns shape expectations and emotional responses, helping with attachment issues, relationship difficulties and impacts of past relational trauma. Client-Centered Therapy places the person at the heart of the process, offering empathetic, nonjudgmental support that builds self-understanding and confidence and is often helpful for grief, low self-esteem and life transitions.

Choosing the right approach is part of therapy itself. Nicola collaborates with clients to identify which methods fit their needs, goals and preferences, adjusting the direction of sessions as understanding deepens and priorities change. The therapist-client relationship guides that decision-making process and shapes the work together.

Online therapy offers practical flexibility - sessions by video call or phone, as well as live chat and text-based messaging, make it easier to fit therapy into busy lives and to access support from familiar environments. Licensed professionals can use these options to maintain continuity of care, adapt to changing schedules, and ensure therapy remains accessible when in-person visits are not possible.