Cathleen Brentnall, BACP

Cathleen Brentnall is a counsellor who focuses on everyday problems that make life harder. She helps people who are dealing with relationship strain, anxiety, depression, grief, parenting pressures and health-related challenges. Cathleen works with people to clarify what matters to them and to take small practical steps forward.

Cathleen uses a blend of talking approaches to suit each person. She draws on Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT) and Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) to look at thoughts and values. She also uses Emotionally-Focused Therapy (EFT) and Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing (EMDR) when trauma or strong emotions are present.

Her background includes a Master’s in Rehabilitation and Mental Health Counselling and she holds BACP registration. She practised for many years in the United States before continuing her work in the United Kingdom, bringing a range of clinical experience to sessions.

In meetings with clients, Cathleen aims for clear, practical steps rather than long theory. She checks in about what helps and adapts the pace to each person. People who appreciate a faith-informed option can ask to include prayer or spiritual reflections in sessions.

Cathleen is used to helping people cope with long-term health conditions, chronic pain, cancer-related concerns and the daily stresses that come with caregiving and illness. She also supports people working through identity issues, body image, abuse recovery and major life changes.

How Cathleen's approaches translate to online therapy

Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT) helps people notice their values and take committed actions towards them despite difficult thoughts or feelings; it is useful for anxiety, depression and coping with long-term health conditions. Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) looks at how thoughts, feelings and behaviours interact and offers practical strategies to change unhelpful patterns, which can help with sleep, stress, mood and daily routines. Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing (EMDR) is used to process traumatic memories and reduce the intensity of distressing recollections when trauma is a core issue.

Finding the right approach is part of the work. The therapist will talk with each person about their goals, preferences and what has or hasn’t helped before. Together they will choose which methods to try and adjust them as progress is made, so therapy feels collaborative and personalised.

If you are considering online therapy, check the session formats available before booking. Many people find online sessions make it easier to fit therapy into busy lives, for example by removing travel time or making shorter check-ins possible during a lunch break. Other practical benefits include easier access for those managing chronic illness or caregiver responsibilities. Confirm the exact session options offered for scheduling details.