Helen Downs, NCPS

Helen Downs, NCPS, helps people who are feeling overwhelmed by stress, anxiety, grief, addiction and depression. She also supports those coping with relationship or family strains, parenting pressures, sleep or eating concerns, and issues linked to ADHD and neurodiversity. Helen works with people who are dealing with past trauma, intimacy questions, workplace strain, and the emotional effects of major life changes.

She brings seven years of experience and a background in hypnotherapy to her counselling. Helen describes her style as respectful and compassionate. Sessions are a place to talk through what matters, build practical habits, and try small changes that fit everyday life.

Her approach blends client-centred listening with goal-focused tools from cognitive behavioural methods and skills drawn from dialectical practice. She also uses psychodynamic ideas to look at longer-standing patterns and hypnotherapy to support relaxation and focus.

Helen has worked in criminal justice settings and with people affected by the prison system, which has shaped her understanding of addiction, neurodiversity and complex life situations. That work informs how she helps people find clearer routines and better coping strategies.

People who meet with Helen can expect sessions that prioritise listening, practical steps and steady progress. She encourages simple, realistic changes rather than overwhelming plans. The aim is to help someone move from getting by to feeling more in control and able to plan next steps.

Approaches that inform online work

Helen uses client-centred counselling to create a space where a person leads the conversation and is treated with respect and sensitivity. This approach helps when someone needs to be heard and to make sense of their priorities.

She also applies cognitive behavioural therapy, which focuses on identifying unhelpful thinking and building small, practical habits to change mood and behaviour. CBT can be useful for anxiety, low mood, sleep and everyday coping strategies.

Dialectical behaviour therapy is another strand Helen uses for building emotion regulation and interpersonal skills, particularly when feelings become intense or relationships feel strained.

Choosing the right approach is part of the therapy process. Helen will work collaboratively to decide which methods fit a person’s needs, goals and preferences, and she adapts the plan as progress is made.

The practical benefits of online therapy can include easier scheduling around work or family life and fewer journeys to attend sessions. Because the biography did not list session formats, please confirm which options are available before booking. Online sessions can support regular check-ins, skill practice between meetings and gradual changes to everyday routines without requiring large time commitments.