Sharon Horwood, BACP

Sharon Horwood is a counsellor based in Southend-on-Sea with three years' practice and a BACP registration. She draws on her own lived experience, including recovery after a traumatic brain injury, to relate to people facing major life changes. Sharon encourages people to notice their strengths and to feel proud of taking the first step towards support.

Her work often focuses on stress and anxiety, low self-esteem, anger and motivation, and relationship concerns. She also supports people dealing with grief, career questions, and the emotional impact of chronic illness or injury. Sharon lists a wide range of additional focus areas, including mood disorders, panic, dissociation, and difficulties linked to attachment and guilt.

Sharon uses a client-centred approach that keeps the person’s priorities at the centre of sessions. She aims to listen carefully, reflect back what she hears, and help people make practical changes that suit their life. Sessions are offered by video call, and messaging is used for assessment and arranging appointments.

The tone in sessions is straightforward and down-to-earth, with a focus on building confidence and practical coping skills. Sharon welcomes people who are uncertain about their next step, whether they want to change direction in life or work through the effects of past trauma.

To begin, people complete a short questionnaire and can schedule sessions around her flexible timetable. Sharon’s approach combines empathy with a clear focus on each person’s goals and everyday challenges.

Client-centred support via online sessions

Sharon works primarily using a client-centred approach. This means she places the person's own priorities and experiences at the heart of the work, listening without judgement and reflecting back what she hears to help people make sense of their situation. Client-centred counselling can help with stress, anxiety, relationship issues, low self-esteem and the emotional impact of illness or injury.

Finding the right approach is part of the process. Sharon will work collaboratively to identify which ways of working suit a person's goals, needs and preferences, reviewing progress and adapting the focus as required.

Sharon currently offers video call sessions and uses messaging for assessment and appointment arrangements. If you want a particular session format, confirm the available options before booking. Online sessions can make it easier to fit counselling into a busy life, reduce travel time, and allow regular check-ins that suit your schedule without promising a specific outcome.