Melanie O'Brien, BACP

Melanie O'Brien is a counsellor who draws on Client-Centred Therapy to help people untangle difficult feelings. She creates a calm, respectful space where people can talk about anxiety, low mood, grief, relationship problems and addictions. Her approach is gentle and direct, aimed at helping people feel understood and less alone.

Melanie explains that reaching out can feel daunting when life is overwhelming or when old hurts keep repeating. She focuses on building a trusting relationship so people can explore what matters to them at their own pace. Sessions are conversational and grounded in the person's experience rather than rigid techniques.

Her five years of practice have involved working with a broad range of concerns. These include stress, depression, trauma and abuse, intimacy and body image worries, and the strain of caregiving or chronic illness. Melanie also supports people dealing with family-of-origin issues, isolation, and addiction-related problems.

In the room she offers reflections and straightforward observations to help people see patterns. She aims to balance warmth with honest feedback, and to help clients uncover practical steps they can try between sessions. The work can include talking through communication problems, coping with life changes, and rebuilding self-esteem.

Melanie works in the United Kingdom and is registered with the British Association for Counselling and Psychotherapy, BACP. Sessions are delivered in English and suited to people who want a person-centred way of working through their difficulties.

How client-centred work translates to online counselling

Client-Centred Therapy focuses on listening, empathy and creating a trusting relationship. It helps when someone needs to talk through anxiety, low mood, grief or relationship concerns without feeling judged. The counsellor follows the person’s lead and helps make sense of feelings rather than imposing a fixed plan.

Melanie also uses practical reflections and straightforward feedback to help people notice patterns in their lives. This can support work on issues like body image, caregiving stress, chronic pain and addictions by turning insight into small, manageable changes. The emphasis is on collaboration and moving at a pace that feels right for each person.

Finding the right approach is part of the process. Melanie will work with clients to decide whether a person-centred way, or elements from other approaches, suit their goals and preferences. This is decided together, based on needs and what feels most helpful.

If you are considering online sessions, please confirm the available session formats before booking since the listing does not specify them. Online counselling can make it easier to fit therapy into a busy week, reduce travel time, allow shorter check-ins when needed, and help people attend when mobility or health challenges make travel difficult.