Russell Bloom, BACP

Russell Bloom helps people who are struggling with stress, anxiety, depression, grief and relationship strains. He also supports people managing addiction, trauma and abuse, anger, low self-esteem and major life changes. He works from a compassionate, respectful stance and aims to create a calm, steady space to talk things through.

Russell draws on 17 years' experience in counselling work in the United Kingdom and is registered with the BACP, the British Association for Counselling and Psychotherapy. He adapts the session pace and approach to suit each person's needs, and shapes goals together with the person in front of him.

His practical approach can include looking at patterns from early attachments, noticing how thoughts affect feelings and behaviour, and using mindfulness to build greater awareness. Sessions focus on what is happening now and on manageable steps that help someone cope between meetings.

People find the process involves honest conversation, helpful questions and practical tasks to try outside sessions. Russell pays close attention to how relationships and life events have shaped current difficulties, and uses that understanding to guide change.

Taking the first step can feel hard, and Russell aims to make the initial meetings straightforward. He invites people to describe what matters most to them, and then works with them to set clear, realistic aims and ways to measure progress.

How his approaches can work online

Russell uses Attachment-Based and Client-Centred approaches alongside Cognitive Behavioural Therapy to guide his online work. Attachment-Based work looks at how early relationships shape current patterns and helps people understand their reactions in close relationships. Client-Centred therapy focuses on listening and reflecting back what matters to the person, helping them find their own solutions. Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT) helps identify unhelpful thoughts and tests small changes in behaviour to reduce distress and improve day-to-day coping.

Finding the right approach is part of the therapy process. Russell will discuss options with each person and decide together which methods fit their needs, goals and preferences. He treats this as a collaborative exploration rather than imposing a single method.

Practical benefits of online work can include fitting sessions into a busy week and removing travel time so it's easier to attend regularly. Online work can also allow shorter check-ins when needed and make sessions possible when someone is away from their usual area. Confirm the current session options before booking so you know which formats are offered.