Dawn Johnston, BACP

Dawn Johnston helps people facing stress, anxiety, low mood, relationship strain and grief. She also supports people dealing with anger, self-esteem challenges, sleep and eating concerns, and life changes such as separation or career transitions. Dawn's opening message is straightforward: starting therapy takes courage, and she meets people with respect and compassion.

With 20 years of experience, Dawn shapes sessions around each person's needs. She listens first, then works with people to build a practical plan. That plan may draw on talking, problem-solving, mindfulness and gentle exploration of past patterns.

Dawn uses Client-Centred Therapy to follow the client's lead and create an accepting space. She pairs this with Cognitive Behavioural Therapy, which focuses on spotting and changing unhelpful thinking and behaviour patterns. She may also use hypnotherapy and mindfulness techniques to reduce anxiety and improve sleep.

Her approach is collaborative and down-to-earth. Sessions aim to be clear and actionable rather than filled with jargon. People leave with small steps to try between meetings, so progress carries over into everyday life.

Dawn is registered with the BACP, the British Association for Counselling and Psychotherapy. She practises from the United Kingdom and works in English. Before booking, people are invited to reflect on what they want to address so sessions can be tailored from the first meeting.

How Dawn’s approaches work in online therapy

Client-Centred Therapy focuses on following the client's pace and priorities. The counsellor reflects what you say and helps you make sense of your feelings, which can help with confidence, low mood and relationship worries.

Cognitive Behavioural Therapy, or CBT, looks at links between thoughts, feelings and actions. It offers simple tools to test unhelpful thoughts and try small behavioural experiments that reduce anxiety or improve sleep.

Finding the right approach is part of the work. Dawn will discuss different ways of working and agree what to try together. The choice is collaborative and can be adjusted as goals evolve.

Online therapy can make it easier to fit sessions into busy lives and to keep continuity during transitions. Please confirm which session formats are offered before booking, as the biography does not specify formats. Many people find remote sessions useful for short check-ins, to save travel time, or to arrange appointments around work and family commitments.