Valerie Stanley-Brooks, BACP

Valerie Stanley-Brooks is a counsellor with the British Association for Counselling and Psychotherapy (BACP) and more than 25 years of practice. She offers calm, practical support for people facing stress, anxiety, grief, low self-esteem and life changes. Valerie aims to make the first contact feel straightforward and manageable for someone who is nervous about seeking help.

Her work draws on several methods so sessions can be tailored to each person. She uses client-centred ideas to focus on what matters to the individual. Cognitive behavioural techniques are used to identify unhelpful thinking and try small, practical changes.

Valerie also brings psychodynamic thinking into therapy to help people understand patterns coming from past relationships. Solution-focused tools are used when the goal is to build on strengths and move quickly toward specific changes. Trauma-focused work is available for people coping with abuse or difficult events.

Across her career she has worked in schools, therapeutic services and voluntary groups. That variety has shaped a flexible, down-to-earth style that suits people with different backgrounds and needs. She offers resources and practical materials to support what is discussed in sessions.

People who are caring for others will find experience relevant to caregiver stress and compassion fatigue. International clients can be supported in English. To begin, people are asked to complete a short questionnaire and then schedule sessions according to the usual booking steps.

How Valerie uses therapeutic approaches online

Client-Centred Therapy focuses on listening and building a respectful relationship. Online conversations using this approach give space for people to describe what matters and set the pace for sessions.

Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT) looks at thoughts, feelings and behaviours and tries practical steps to change unhelpful patterns. Online CBT often uses short exercises and worksheets to practise new ways of thinking between sessions.

Trauma-Focused Therapy concentrates on helping people process difficult events and reduce their impact on daily life. When delivered remotely, this work is paced carefully and supported with grounding techniques and resources.

Finding the right approach is part of the work together. The therapist will discuss goals, preferences and day-to-day realities and then recommend which methods to try first. Decisions are revisited as therapy progresses so the plan can change if needed.

The biography does not list specific session formats, so please confirm current online options before booking. Many people choose online support because it can fit more easily around caring duties, reduce travel time and allow shorter check-ins when schedules are tight. Valerie offers practical materials and exercises that can be used between meetings to help keep progress moving.