Counsellor profile
Melanie O'Brien, BACP
Counsellor - anxiety and relationships
See online counselling options- Client-Centred Therapy
- Anxiety and stress
- Grief and loss
About Melanie
Counsellor Melanie O'Brien is a BACP member with five years' experience working with people in the United Kingdom. She offers person-centred care and focuses on issues such as anxiety, depression, grief, relationship concerns and addictions. Melanie also helps with self-esteem, parenting stress and coping with major life changes.
Melanie uses Client-Centred Therapy as the foundation of her work. That means she pays attention to the relationship in the room and listens for what matters most to each person. Sessions aim to let clients speak openly and notice patterns in feelings and behaviour.
She brings experience helping people navigate attachment and abandonment worries, body image and communication problems. Melanie also addresses issues that often come with ongoing health challenges, such as chronic pain, illness and disability, and the stresses carers can face.
Her approach includes gentle reflection and practical discussion. Melanie may help people spot unhelpful thinking, consider different ways of coping, and try small changes between sessions. She works at a pace the client is comfortable with and will offer straightforward observations when useful.
People choose her when they want clear, non-technical conversation about what is causing distress. To begin, readers should use the site controls to view her online counselling options, complete the short matching questionnaire, and book a first appointment.
Client-Centred work and online counselling
Client-Centred Therapy focuses on the relationship and on listening carefully to the client's experience. The counsellor offers non-directive support, reflects back what she hears, and helps the client notice patterns in feelings and behaviour. This approach can help with anxiety, low mood, relationship concerns and self-esteem issues.Melanie may also draw on straightforward, practical discussion to help people try small changes between sessions. That can include looking at ways of coping with stress, noticing unhelpful thinking and rehearsing different responses in everyday life. These methods are used to complement the person-centred work rather than replace it.
Choosing the right approach is part of the work together. Melanie will discuss options with the client and decide what feels most useful given their goals and preferences. The process is collaborative and reviewed as therapy progresses.
The biography does not specify which online formats are offered, so please confirm current session options before booking. Online counselling can make it easier to fit sessions into a busy week, reduce travel time and allow quicker check-ins when needed. Discuss practical arrangements and any preferences during the initial booking step to find an approach that fits day-to-day life.
Areas of expertise
Primary focus
Also works with
Additional focus areas
Therapeutic approaches
Experience
5+ years
Listed in
United Kingdom
Languages
English
Frequently asked questions
What kinds of problems does she help with?
She works with stress, anxiety, depression, grief, addictions, relationship issues and related concerns such as self-esteem and parenting strain.
What is her therapeutic style?
Her work is rooted in Client-Centred Therapy. That means she focuses on the quality of the relationship and on listening to what matters to the client.
How much experience does she have?
She has five years' clinical experience supporting people with a range of emotional and practical issues.
Which professional body is she a member of?
She is a member of the British Association for Counselling and Psychotherapy, shown as BACP.
Are sessions offered in other languages?
Sessions are offered in English.
Does she work with international clients?
She does not accept international clients at present.
How are sessions priced?
Cost varies with location and sessions use a subscription model that can be cancelled at any time.
How do I begin a first session?
Click the See online counselling options button, complete the short matching questionnaire, and schedule a first session through the site.
Details come from information the counsellor supplied to BetterHelp. A membership or registration can be checked on the professional body's own register.
Online counselling is not emergency care. In an emergency call 999, or see the help numbers.