Shelley Hughes, NCPS

Shelley Hughes is a counsellor who works with people feeling overwhelmed by stress, anxiety or relationship strain. She also supports those dealing with trauma, grief and intimacy-related issues. Shelley is based in the United Kingdom and brings five years of professional experience to her work. She holds NCPS as a credential.

Shelley aims to make the first step into therapy straightforward. She offers a calm, non-judgemental space where clients can talk through painful thoughts and decide what matters most to them. Sessions focus on practical steps and clearer thinking, not on labels.

Her approach draws on several ways of working. Cognitive Behavioural Therapy helps notice and change unhelpful thinking patterns. Acceptance and Commitment Therapy supports people to act in line with their values even when feelings are difficult. Attachment-based ideas are used to understand how early relationships affect current patterns.

Shelley also uses client-centred techniques to keep the work grounded in each person’s experience. Dialectical Behaviour Therapy skills can be brought in to manage strong emotions and build calmer routines. She mixes these methods to suit who the client is and what they need right now.

People come to Shelley for many concerns beyond anxiety and grief, including sleep problems, self-esteem, addiction-related issues, career stress, body image and neurodiversity-related challenges such as autism and ADHD. The work is collaborative and aimed at small, steady changes.

If you are unsure where to start, Shelley encourages a short initial match and discussion about goals, so the plan fits your life and priorities.

Therapeutic approaches and how they fit online

Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT) focuses on helping people notice difficult thoughts and feelings while choosing actions that reflect their values. It is useful for anxiety, stress and living through life changes. Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT) concentrates on spotting and shifting thought patterns and behaviours that cause distress, which can help with anxiety, depression and sleep problems. Attachment-Based Therapy looks at how early relationship experiences shape current patterns and can help people understand intimacy challenges and communication issues.

Finding the right approach is part of the work. The therapist will discuss your goals and preferences and together you will decide which methods to try first. That collaborative process means the plan can change as needs become clearer.

The practical benefits of online therapy include fitting sessions around work and family life, reducing travel time and making it easier to have shorter check-ins when needed. The biography does not specify which session formats are offered, so please confirm current options before booking. Many people find remote sessions helpful for maintaining continuity and for trying therapeutic tools between meetings, while other people prefer in-person contact; Shelley will help you choose what suits your routine and aims.