Richard Whitenstall, BACP

Richard Whitenstall is a counsellor with 11 years' experience. He founded Get There Counselling in 2021 and has worked internationally with clients since 2023. He co-authored a book on men’s mental health and has a background supporting LGBT young people at risk. He holds BACP accreditation, which is listed as his professional credential.

He began placements in 2013 at Hampshire charities No Limits and Cruse. Between 2017 and 2019 he set up and ran a counselling service for Positive21, a London-based charity. He has also presented to mental health professionals about the risks facing LGBT youth.

Richard describes his way of working as client-centred and empowering. Sessions move at the client’s pace and focus on the changes the client wants to make. He helps people accept what can’t be changed and plan what can be changed.

Common concerns he supports include anxiety, stress, depression, grief and relationship difficulties. He also works with issues such as men’s mental health, sexual health matters, addiction, and challenges linked to chronic illness or disability.

Outside the counselling room he produces and co-hosts a mental health podcast called It’s Not You, It’s Them. He combines practical conversation with a direct, compassionate style. If someone is unsure about starting, he encourages a first step and a short conversation about goals.

How his approaches work for online therapy

Client-Centred Therapy focuses on the person and their experience. The counsellor follows the client’s pace, listens closely and helps the client find their own solutions to problems such as low self-esteem, relationship worries or grief.

Cognitive Behavioral Therapy, or CBT, looks at the links between thoughts, feelings and actions. It uses clear, practical steps and experiments to reduce anxiety, manage depression and change unhelpful patterns.

Solution-Focused Therapy concentrates on small, achievable changes. It helps people identify strengths and build on what already works, which can be useful for coping with life changes and setting short-term goals.

Finding the right mix of these approaches is part of the work. The counsellor will talk with the client about needs, goals and preferences and then choose methods together. This collaborative planning helps shape sessions to what actually helps the person.

Online therapy can make it easier to fit counselling into everyday life. It may allow shorter check-ins, save travel time and make scheduling around work or caring duties simpler. Confirm the available session formats before booking so the practical details match your needs.