Gillian Ellis, BACP

Gillian Ellis brings 13 years of experience offering counselling in the United Kingdom. She works with people who feel overwhelmed by stress, anxiety or depression. Gillian also supports those coping with trauma, abuse and challenges to self-esteem. She believes people hold knowledge about their own lives and builds on their strengths in sessions.

Her style is warm and respectful. Gillian listens carefully and helps clients name what is happening. Together they find practical ways to manage difficult feelings and rebuild confidence. Sessions move at a pace the person is comfortable with.

Gillian has particular experience with sexual and domestic abuse, and with issues that follow from those experiences. She also addresses relationship concerns, intimacy-related issues and codependency. Other areas she works with include sleep and eating difficulties, addiction, bipolar disorder and career stress.

Her approach draws on client-centred therapy, which focuses on the person’s own goals and perspective, and trauma-focused therapy for people affected by past harm. In conversations she aims to make space for honest reflection, emotional safety and realistic next steps. She encourages practical coping strategies alongside emotional processing.

Starting therapy can feel hard, and Gillian acknowledges the courage it takes. She supports people as they make changes, rebuild self-love and manage life transitions. If the reader is thinking about therapy, Gillian invites them to take the next step when they feel ready.

How client-centred and trauma-focused work helps online

Client-centred therapy puts the person’s goals and experience at the heart of sessions. The counsellor listens deeply, reflects back what they hear and supports the person to find their own solutions. This approach helps when someone needs more confidence, clearer decisions or a steadier sense of self.

Trauma-focused therapy concentrates on the ways past harm affects thoughts, feelings and daily routines. It offers space to safely look at traumatic memories and learn coping skills that reduce distress. This approach is often chosen by people affected by sexual or domestic abuse and by those with ongoing trauma responses.

Choosing the right approach is a joint process. The therapist will talk with the person about their needs, goals and preferences and suggest whether client-centred work, trauma-focused techniques, or a mix would suit best. They’ll adjust the plan as therapy proceeds so it stays useful and realistic.

Online therapy can make it easier to fit counselling into a busy life, for example by reducing travel time or allowing sessions during a lunch break. Some people prefer shorter check-ins by phone when they need a quick touchpoint, while others favour longer talking sessions. Confirm the current session options before booking so arrangements match day-to-day needs and technology.