Therapist listings are provided by BetterHelp. We will earn a commission at no additional cost to you if you use our links to purchase.

Gillian Cooper

Counsellor profile

Gillian Cooper, BACP

United Kingdom

Counsellor - Family and parenting focus

Continue with Gillian

About

  • Stress and anxiety
  • Grief and bereavement
  • Attachment work

About Gillian

Gillian Cooper is a counsellor registered with the BACP and has nine years of professional experience in the United Kingdom. She works with adults and young people on practical issues such as stress, anxiety, relationship difficulties, grief and parenting concerns.

She helps people with a wide range of problems including trauma and abuse, addictions, changes to sleeping and eating, and struggles with self-esteem. She also supports those dealing with family problems, separation from children, bereavement and the fallout from family court matters.

Gillian has worked in a variety of settings including trauma services for women and young girls, private care, MIND UK and hospital bereavement services. She has supported neuro-divergent adults and young people and those in crisis or presenting with challenging behaviours.

Alongside clinical work she has been a counselling tutor delivering up to Level 4 qualifications. She has helped learners define career goals, build resilience, develop confidence and structure their plans for change.

Her way of working combines shorter term counselling and longer term therapy. Shorter work focuses on present day coping and practical steps. Longer therapy looks at past experiences and patterns that influence current difficulties. Gillian says she will work together with a client to create a clear plan of how sessions will progress.

How sessions work

How her approaches translate to online work

Attachment-based work focuses on patterns in close relationships and helps people recognise how past bonds shape current connections. Online sessions can look at these patterns and practise different ways of relating in day-to-day life.

Client-centred work places a person’s immediate experience at the centre. The therapist listens and reflects so the client can clarify feelings and priorities; this can be useful for parenting stress, anxiety and grief. Cognitive behavioural therapy (CBT) looks at the links between thoughts, feelings and actions and offers practical steps to change unhelpful patterns. CBT is often used for anxiety, low mood and sleep or eating changes.

Finding the right approach is part of the work. Gillian will talk with a client about goals, preferences and what feels useful, and then choose methods together. This is collaborative rather than fixed, and the plan can shift as needs change.

Confirm the exact session formats before booking because the biography does not specify them. Online work can help fit sessions around busy days, allow a shorter check-in when time is limited, and remove travel time so appointments are easier to attend. Registered or accredited professionals can use a range of approaches remotely to help people manage everyday pressures and relationship concerns.

Areas of focus

Areas of expertise

Primary focus

Also works with

AddictionsFamily conflictsIntimacy-related issuesEating disordersSleeping disordersParenting issuesAnger managementSelf esteemCareer difficultiesBipolar disorderCoping with life changesCoachingCompassion fatigueADHD

Additional focus areas

AbandonmentAntisocial personalityAttachment issuesBlended family issuesBody imageCancerCodependencyCommitment issuesControl issuesDependent personalityDivorce and separationDomestic violenceDrug and alcohol addictionFamily problemsForgivenessGuilt and shameHoardingHospice and end-of-life counselingImpulsivityInfidelityJealousyLife purposeMidlife crisisMoney and financial issuesMood disordersNarcissismObsessions, compulsions, and OCDPhobiasPostpartum depressionPost-traumatic stressProcess addiction (porn, exercise, gambling)Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD)Self-harmSelf-loveSex addictionSexual assault and abuseSexual dysfunctionSexualitySocial anxiety and phobiaWomen's issuesWorkplace issuesYoung adult issues

Therapeutic approaches

Attachment-Based TherapyClient-Centered TherapyCognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT)Jungian TherapyPsychodynamic TherapySolution-Focused Therapy

Experience

9+ years

Listed in

United Kingdom

Languages

English

Questions

Frequently asked questions

What kinds of family and parenting issues can she help with?

She helps people with family problems, parenting strain, separation from children and blended family issues. This includes practical support around communication and managing change at home.

What is her therapeutic style?

She combines client-centred and psychodynamic approaches, plus solution-focused techniques. That means sometimes the focus is on day-to-day coping and sometimes on looking at past patterns.

How much experience does she have?

She has nine years of professional experience working in mental health settings and private practice. Her background includes bereavement services and trauma work.

What are her credentials and where does she practise?

She is registered with the BACP and is based in the United Kingdom.

Can I speak to her in other languages or from abroad?

Sessions are offered in English. She is not accepting international clients at this time.

What session formats does she offer?

Confirm the current session options before booking, as formats are not specified in the biography. Please check the booking flow for available session types.

How much do sessions cost?

Costs vary with location and sessions use a subscription model that can be cancelled at any time. Check the pricing information for details that apply to your region.

How do I begin if I want to work with her?

Select the See online therapy options button, complete the short matching questionnaire and schedule a first session to get started.

Details come from information the counsellor supplied to BetterHelp. A registration can be checked with the body that issued it.

Online talk therapy is not emergency care. If anyone is in danger, use the crisis numbers.

Back to all therapists

Gillian Cooper

Continue with Gillian