Mark McConnell, BACP

Mark McConnell is a counsellor working in the United Kingdom with three years of professional experience. He helps people who are struggling with stress, anxiety, low mood and motivation. He also supports those dealing with self-esteem, relationship and intimacy-related concerns, and people facing addiction or grief.

Mark takes a directive style in sessions while keeping the client’s perspective central. He believes people know their own stories best and aims to highlight strengths that can be used to move forward. Conversations are practical and focused on small, manageable steps rather than long lectures.

He uses several familiar approaches to guide his work, including client-centred methods, cognitive behavioural techniques and mindfulness practices. These methods are used to spot unhelpful thinking, try out different behaviours and build steady coping skills for day-to-day life.

Mark also draws on motivational interviewing and psychodynamic ideas when they fit a person’s needs. That means he will sometimes focus on what drives change and other times look at recurring patterns that affect feelings and relationships. The overall aim is to help people gain clarity and feel less stuck.

Sessions are conversational and goal-oriented. Mark offers straightforward feedback and helps people set realistic steps between sessions. He encourages new ways of solving problems while respecting each person’s pace and priorities.

How his approaches translate to online work

Client-Centred Therapy focuses on listening and responding to each person without judgement. Online sessions can keep that same emphasis, with the counsellor helping the client feel heard and respected while they talk through current problems and goals.

Cognitive Behavioural Therapy, or CBT, looks at the links between thoughts, feelings and actions. In an online setting it can be used to spot unhelpful thinking patterns, try short behaviour experiments between sessions and build practical coping strategies for anxiety, low mood and stress.

Mindfulness Therapy teaches simple ways to notice thoughts and bodily sensations. Practising brief mindfulness exercises during online sessions and between appointments can help with rumination, sleep and emotional regulation.

Finding the right approach is part of the work. The therapist will collaborate with the client to decide which methods suit their needs, goals and preferences. That choice can change over time as progress is made.

The practical benefits of online therapy include easier fitting of sessions into a busy week and avoiding travel time. Before booking, confirm which session formats the counsellor currently offers so you know what to expect. Online sessions can make it simpler to maintain continuity of care and to carry smaller, regular tasks between appointments.