Counsellor profile
Sharmaine O'Keefe, BACP
Counsellor - stress and anxiety
See online counselling options- CBT methods
- ACT techniques
- Mindfulness work
About Sharmaine
Counsellor and BACP member Sharmaine O'Keefe offers short- and longer-term support for common problems such as stress, anxiety, depression and parenting concerns. She has four years' experience working in private practice, schools and charities across several countries. Sessions are conducted in English in the United Kingdom.
Sharmaine uses a mix of well-known counselling methods. She draws on Cognitive Behavioural Therapy, Acceptance and Commitment Therapy and Solution-Focused ideas alongside client-centred and mindfulness techniques. In practice this means she works with thoughts, behaviours and values, and uses practical steps to help people notice what matters and make small changes.
Her background before counselling included work as a lawyer, teacher and lecturer. That experience informs how she structures sessions and supports people with study, work and career concerns. She also has experience with trauma, grief, eating and body-image issues, family of origin questions and fertility-related worries.
Sharmaine describes an integrative way of working that adapts to the person's needs. Sessions typically involve talking through current problems, trying out new ways of responding and reviewing what helps most. She pays attention to cultural and social context given her time living and working in different countries.
Practical matters are kept straightforward. Costs vary with location and sessions use a cancellable subscription. International clients are not currently accepted. To start, select the See online counselling options button, complete a short matching questionnaire and schedule a first session.
How Sharmaine uses therapy approaches online
Acceptance and Commitment Therapy helps people notice what they value and to take small steps in that direction. It focuses on actions and living with difficult thoughts rather than trying to remove them entirely. Cognitive Behavioural Therapy looks at links between thoughts, feelings and behaviours and uses practical exercises to change unhelpful patterns. These exercises can include try-outs between sessions and simple thought records. Client-Centred work emphasises a respectful, non-directive approach where the person leads the pace and topics of each session.Finding the right approach is usually collaborative. Sharmaine will discuss what matters to the person, try methods that fit their goals and review what is working. That means the chosen mix can change as progress is made or new needs appear.
If you plan to take part online, check the current session options before booking. The biography does not list specific formats, so confirm whether video, phone or messaging is offered. Online sessions can make counselling easier to fit into work and family life, allow shorter check-ins when needed, and remove travel time. A therapist can suggest practical ways to manage session length and contact that suit day-to-day routines.
Areas of expertise
Primary focus
Also works with
Additional focus areas
Therapeutic approaches
Experience
4+ years
Listed in
United Kingdom
Languages
English
Frequently asked questions
What kinds of concerns does she help with?
She works with stress, anxiety, depression, parenting issues and related concerns such as grief, trauma, eating and body-image problems.
What is her counselling style?
She uses an integrative, practical style. Sessions mix talking, noticing patterns and trying short exercises between meetings.
How much experience does she have?
She has four years' experience working in private practice, senior school settings and charities.
Which professional body is she a member of?
She is a member of the British Association for Counselling and Psychotherapy, listed as BACP.
Which languages are sessions offered in?
Sessions are offered in English.
Does she work with international clients?
She does not accept international clients at this time.
How are sessions arranged and what do they cost?
Costs vary with location and sessions use a subscription model that can be cancelled at any time.
How do I begin the process?
Click the See online counselling options button, complete a short matching questionnaire and then schedule your first session.
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.