Vanessa Higgins, BACP

Vanessa Higgins is a counsellor with over 10 years of experience supporting people through hard moments. She works with a wide range of concerns such as anxiety, depression, stress, trauma, grief and low self-esteem. Vanessa aims to make the first steps toward help feel straightforward and manageable for someone who is worried or unsure.

Her practice blends several approaches so she can match the method to the person. She draws on Cognitive Behavioural Therapy, person-centred ideas and psychodynamic thinking to tailor the work. That mix helps her address symptoms, patterns and the stories people tell about themselves.

Sessions focus on practical steps and understanding. She listens for patterns that keep problems going and works with clients to try new ways of coping. The tone is calm and direct, with attention to what is useful right now.

Vanessa pays attention to relationship wounds, attachment and the effects of past trauma when these are relevant. She also helps people struggling with caregiver strain, chronic illness, life transitions and problems around guilt, shame and isolation. The aim is clearer thinking and steadier mood over time.

Appointments are mainly scheduled on Mondays and Fridays, with occasional slots at other times. To begin, a short matching questionnaire is used and sessions are arranged based on the therapist's availability.

Therapeutic approaches and what they do

Vanessa uses evidence-based therapeutic techniques that aim to make thoughts and feelings easier to manage. Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT) helps people spot and change unhelpful thinking patterns and routines that keep anxiety and low mood going. Person-centred work focuses on listening and building understanding so people feel heard and can find their own solutions. Psychodynamic-influenced work looks at repeated relationship and emotional patterns that might come from earlier life events and helps bring those patterns into awareness.

Choosing the right approach is a collaborative process. The therapist will talk through options and tailor the work to a person's needs, goals and preferences. Over the first few sessions the plan can shift as the client and therapist learn what helps most.

Check which session formats are currently offered before booking, as the biography does not list specific formats. Online therapy can make it easier to fit appointments into a busy week and reduce travel time. It can also allow shorter check-ins when schedules are tight or sessions without video when a lower-bandwidth option is needed. Registered or accredited professionals can work this way effectively, and the practical aim is to make therapy fit into everyday life while focusing on meaningful change.