Helen Downs, NCPS

Helen Downs NCPS supports people dealing with stress, anxiety, addictions, trauma and abuse, and intimacy-related issues. She also helps with low self-esteem, grief, sleep and eating difficulties, ADHD and compassion fatigue. Helen works with those facing relationship and family strains, career or life changes, and a range of emotional challenges that can feel overwhelming.

Helen uses straightforward conversation and practical strategies in sessions. She draws on client-centred methods to listen and prioritise each person’s goals. Helen combines cognitive behavioural tools and dialectical techniques to help manage difficult thoughts and build coping skills. She also uses hypnotherapy alongside psychodynamic ideas when appropriate, tailoring the mix to the individual.

Her background includes seven years of professional practice and seven years as a practising hypnotherapist. She has worked across community settings and within prison services, gaining experience with neurodiverse clients and people affected by the criminal justice system. That experience informs a down-to-earth approach to complex problems.

In sessions Helen aims to create a calm, respectful space where people can make sense of what’s happening and plan next steps. She encourages small, achievable changes and practical experiments between meetings. Work may include talking through past events, building new routines, rehearsing conversations, or developing skills to manage strong emotions.

Helen accepts people from the United Kingdom and international clients and offers English-language support. To begin, clients use the Start Therapy button and complete a short matching questionnaire before arranging appointments according to her availability.

How Helen’s approaches translate to online therapy

Client-Centred Therapy places the person’s concerns and goals at the heart of the work, so sessions focus on listening and reflecting to build understanding and direction. This approach helps when people need a space to sort out feelings and priorities.

Cognitive Behavioural Therapy, or CBT, looks at how thoughts, feelings and actions interact. It uses practical exercises and structured work to reduce anxiety, change unhelpful patterns, and build new habits that support daily functioning.

Dialectical Behaviour Therapy, DBT, offers skills for managing strong emotions and improving interpersonal effectiveness. It can be useful for learning distress-tolerance techniques and clearer ways to communicate under pressure.

Finding the right mix of approaches is part of the collaborative process. The therapist will discuss goals and preferences and suggest methods that fit each person’s needs. Sessions adapt over time as progress, setbacks and practical circumstances become clearer.

If you are considering online appointments, please confirm available formats before booking. Online work can make it easier to fit therapy into a busy life, reduce travel time, and allow check-ins from different locations. Some formats can also suit shorter check-ins or sessions where being on camera is not needed, helping therapy fit around work, caregiving or other commitments.