Shirley Banton, BACP

Shirley Banton is a counsellor with 11 years of experience who works from a person-centred foundation. She holds BACP accreditation, and she aims to offer steady, respectful support to people feeling overwhelmed or stuck. Shirley focuses on helping people slow down, feel heard, and make sense of what they carry.

Her practice is collaborative and paced to each person. She blends person-centred work with transpersonal ideas and a trauma-informed stance to support deeper reflection when it is helpful. Sessions are aimed at rebuilding confidence, noticing recurring patterns, and developing firmer boundaries.

Shirley has long experience supporting people affected by domestic violence and long-term relational trauma, including coercive control. She also draws on over 20 years in further and higher education, so she understands the pressures students, staff and young adults face when navigating identity, anxiety and burnout.

People who benefit from her style tend to want more than quick fixes. They are open to gentle, honest work and value time for reflection and meaning-making. Shirley describes her way of working as non-judgemental and consistent, rather than directive or purely solution-driven.

If someone is seeking clearer emotional stability, steadier boundaries, or help unpacking relational patterns, Shirley offers a calm space to start that process. She invites people to take the first step when they feel ready to explore change and healing.

How Shirley’s approaches translate to online work

Shirley often draws on client-centred work, cognitive behavioural ideas and mindfulness in her practice. Client-centred work focuses on listening and following the person’s pace to build trust and clarity. Cognitive behavioural ideas look at how thoughts and everyday habits affect mood and behaviour, offering practical ways to try different responses. Mindfulness practice brings attention to the present moment and can help reduce rumination and stress.

Choosing the right approach is a shared process. Shirley will work with each person to identify which methods suit their goals and preferences, and she adapts the mix as therapy progresses. This collaborative stance aims to fit methods to needs rather than applying a fixed model.

The profile does not list specific session formats, so confirm the available options before booking. Online work can make it easier to fit therapy into a busy life, for example by reducing travel time, allowing shorter check-ins during a break, or removing the need to be on camera if that helps someone engage. Many people find online sessions help maintain consistency while they manage other commitments.