Richard Whitenstall, BACP

Richard Whitenstall is a Gestalt counsellor and the founder of Get There Counselling, a private practice he established in 2021. He brings 11 years of experience working across charity, project and private settings, supporting people with issues such as anxiety, depression, relationship difficulties, addiction and grief. His counselling journey began with placements at Hampshire charities No Limits and Cruse in 2013, and from 2017 to 2019 he set up and ran a counselling service for Positive21, a London-based charity.

Richard has worked with LGBT young people at risk of sexual exploitation, domestic abuse and neglect, and presented at the CAMHS County Forum in 2014 to raise awareness of the particular risks faced by LGBT youth. Since 2023 he has also worked internationally with clients online. He co-authored Strength to Talk, a book focused on men’s mental health, with all proceeds supporting the charity Mind. He produces and co-hosts the podcast It’s Not You, It’s Them, which explores mental health and personal growth.

Richard practises in a client-centered and empowering way, moving at a pace set with the person in therapy, focusing on achievable change, accepting what cannot be changed and creating practical plans for what can. He is a member of the BACP - the British Association for Counselling and Psychotherapy.

Therapeutic approaches and online support

Richard works with several practical approaches that translate well to online therapy. Client-centered therapy focuses on listening, empathy and supporting people to explore their own goals - it helps with self-esteem, relationship issues and coping with life changes. Cognitive Behavioral Therapy, or CBT, offers structured techniques to identify and change unhelpful thinking and behaviour patterns, making it useful for anxiety, depression and stress. Solution-Focused Therapy concentrates on strengths and practical steps toward achievable change, which can be effective for goal-oriented concerns and short-term problems.

Finding the right approach is part of the therapeutic process. Richard will work collaboratively to understand a person's needs, goals and preferences, and together they will choose or blend methods that fit the situation and pace the client prefers.

Online therapy options include video calls, phone sessions, live chat and text-based messaging, providing flexibility for different schedules and comfort levels. These formats make it easier to access licensed professionals from different locations, reduce travel time and allow sessions to fit around work, family or other commitments while maintaining a consistent course of care.