Counsellor profile
Paula Bantick-Ward, BACP
BACP counsellor - family and relationship concerns
Continue with PaulaAbout
- Person-centred approach
- CBT techniques
- Creative practices
About Paula
Paula Bantick-Ward is a BACP counsellor based in the United Kingdom with eight years' experience. She works with adults on issues such as stress, anxiety, relationship strain, grief, depression, addictions and family concerns. Sessions can look at intimacy, eating and anger difficulties, or career and life changes.
Paula offers straightforward, person-centred counselling. She listens without judgement and encourages clients to name their feelings. She uses non-directive exploration alongside practical techniques when helpful. Sessions may include metaphor, creative writing or journaling as ways to access feelings.
She draws on a mix of approaches, including cognitive behavioural ideas and emotion-focused ways of looking at relationships and attachment. These methods are used to help people notice patterns, try new responses and practise small changes outside sessions. Paula also uses Acceptance and Commitment Therapy ideas to help people live with difficult thoughts and feelings rather than fighting them.
Clients are supported to make sense of what they feel and why they react as they do. Conversations aim to increase clarity about personal values, relationships and practical next steps. The focus can be on coping strategies, setting boundaries, or working through past hurts that affect current life.
Paula provides counselling by telephone and online. She follows the British Association for Counselling and Psychotherapy ethical framework and receives clinical supervision for her work. To begin, people complete a short matching questionnaire and then book a first session.
How sessions work
How her approaches translate to online counselling
Paula uses Acceptance and Commitment Therapy and Attachment-Informed approaches alongside person-centred work. Acceptance and Commitment Therapy helps people notice difficult thoughts and feelings and choose actions that match their values. It is often used for anxiety, stress and coping with life changes. Attachment-informed work looks at how early relationship patterns affect current bonds and emotions. This can be helpful for intimacy issues, relationship conflict and understanding attachment wounds. She treats finding the right approach as a collaborative process. The therapist will talk with the client about what feels most useful and adjust methods as goals and preferences become clearer. Clients can expect a mix of listening, reflective questions and practical exercises agreed together. Practical benefits of online counselling include fitting sessions into a busy week and avoiding travel time. The biography lists online and telephone sessions, so confirm the specific options before booking. Online work can allow shorter check-ins, sessions from different locations, and easier access for people who need to join from abroad. Registered or accredited professionals can offer these formats, and Paula will help decide what works best for scheduling, focus and the client's everyday life.Areas of focus
Areas of expertise
Primary focus
Also works with
Additional focus areas
Therapeutic approaches
Experience
8+ years
Listed in
United Kingdom
Languages
English
Questions
Frequently asked questions
What kinds of problems does she help with?
She works with adults on stress, anxiety, relationship issues, grief, depression, addictions and a range of family-related concerns.
What is her general therapeutic style?
Her primary stance is person-centred and non-directive, with invitations to reflect, write or use metaphor alongside practical techniques when useful.
How long has she been practising?
She has eight years' experience working as a counsellor in the United Kingdom.
What credential does she hold and where is she based?
She is a member of the BACP and practises in the United Kingdom.
Can I work with her if I live outside the UK?
Sessions are offered to international clients and are conducted in English.
Which session formats does she offer?
The biography states she provides online and telephone sessions; confirm current session options before booking.
How are fees and payments handled?
Cost varies with location; sessions use a subscription model that can be cancelled at any time.
How do I begin sessions with her?
Start by selecting the See online therapy options button, completing a short matching questionnaire, and scheduling a first session.
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.