Linda Austin, BACP

Linda Austin is a counsellor who combines clear, direct feedback with respectful listening. She uses a straightforward style and invites people to take an active role in sessions. Linda has five years of practical experience and holds BACP accreditation. Her approach draws on Acceptance and Commitment Therapy, client-centred work, motivational interviewing and mindfulness. She aims to help people facing anxiety, depression, stress and addictions by focusing on small, practical steps. Conversations often include exploring values, noticing thoughts, and trying brief experiments between sessions. Linda has worked in the criminal justice system and in services for domestic abuse and substance use. That background informs how she responds to trauma, anger and behaviour change challenges. She also supports people dealing with grief, relationship problems, parenting strain and career difficulties. People meet her style as honest and straightforward. She will give direct reflections when asked and shares relevant lived experience to illustrate a point. At the same time she centres the person in front of her and asks them what matters most. She works with a wide range of concerns connected to long-term health, chronic conditions, caregiving stress and body image, helping people manage everyday life and difficult transitions. For those wanting to begin, the usual route is to use the service Start Therapy flow and complete a short matching questionnaire before booking.

How therapeutic approaches work online

Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT) helps people notice unhelpful thoughts and commit to actions that match their values. It can be useful for anxiety, long-term health struggles and coping with change. Client-Centred Therapy focuses on listening, empathy and supporting a person to find their own solutions; it can help with self-esteem, grief and relationship strain.

Choosing the right approach is a collaborative process. The counsellor will discuss which methods fit the client's goals and preferences and may combine elements from different approaches. Clients and the counsellor decide together what to try and adjust it as they go.

Confirm current session options before booking, as formats are not listed in the profile. Online work can make it easier to fit sessions into a busy week, reduce travel time and allow shorter check-ins when needed. It also means a person can access support from another region or while balancing caregiving and treatment commitments. The emphasis is on practical ways to use counselling in day-to-day life rather than making promises about outcomes.