- Strengths focused
- Values led
- Practical steps
About Karen
Karen Spilsbury works as a counsellor in the United Kingdom and has eight years of professional experience. She focuses on stress, anxiety, addictions, trauma and abuse, self-esteem and coping with life changes. Karen emphasises the strengths each person already has and treats people as the experts on their own stories.
Her style is straightforward and respectful. She helps people talk through difficult moments and build small, practical steps forward. Sessions often focus on what matters most to the client and how to use existing strengths to handle current problems.
Karen draws on a mix of approaches depending on what the person needs. She uses Acceptance and Commitment Therapy to help people clarify values and take action, and Cognitive Behavioural Therapy to address thinking patterns that keep problems going. She also offers client-centred work and elements of Dialectical Behaviour Therapy and hypnotherapy when appropriate.
Her work includes support for people dealing with abandonment and attachment issues, communication and control problems, codependency, relationship separation, and substance misuse. She also has experience with autism and with dissociation and co-morbid mental health concerns.
Taking the first step can feel hard, and she recognises that. Karen aims to make the first sessions clear and manageable so people can decide what they want to try next.
How Karen uses different approaches in online therapy
Acceptance and Commitment Therapy, or ACT, helps people get clearer about their values and take small actions that matter to them. It can be useful for anxiety, stress and life changes where someone wants to live more in line with what they care about.Cognitive Behavioural Therapy, CBT, looks at how thoughts, feelings and behaviours interact and uses practical exercises to change patterns that maintain difficulties. This approach often helps with anxiety, low mood and problems with confidence.
Client-centred work focuses on listening, acceptance and helping the person lead the pace of change. It supports people who need space to make sense of their story and decide what they want next.
Choosing the right approach is part of the work together. The therapist will explore goals, preferences and what has or hasn’t helped before, and then suggest approaches to try. This is a collaborative process where adjustments are made as therapy progresses.
If you want online sessions, please confirm the current session options before booking since formats are not listed in the biography. Online therapy can make it easier to fit appointments around work, reduce travel time and allow shorter check-ins when needed. Registered or accredited professionals can use different approaches effectively online, and Karen adapts methods to suit each person's circumstances.
Areas of expertise
Additional focus areas
Therapeutic approaches
Experience
8+ years
Credentials
United Kingdom
Languages
English
Frequently asked questions
What issues does Karen commonly help with?
Karen works with people facing stress, anxiety, addictions, trauma and abuse, self-esteem problems and coping with life changes. She also addresses related areas like attachment difficulties, codependency and substance misuse.
How would you describe her therapeutic style?
Her style is straightforward and respectful, focusing on what the person wants to achieve. Sessions emphasise clear, practical steps and building on the client's existing strengths.
What background and experience does she have?
She has eight years of professional experience working with a range of mental health and wellbeing concerns. That experience includes supporting people through trauma, addiction and significant life changes.
What credential does she hold and where is she based?
She holds NCPS and practises in the United Kingdom.
Can I work with her if I live outside the UK?
She does not accept international clients at this time and works with people located in the United Kingdom. Sessions are offered in English.
Which session formats are available?
The biography does not specify session formats, so please confirm current options before booking to ensure they fit your needs.
How are sessions paid for and how much do they cost?
Cost varies with location and therapist availability. Sessions use a subscription that can be cancelled at any time.
How do I begin therapy with her?
Start by selecting the Start Therapy button, completing a short matching questionnaire, and then scheduling according to the therapist's availability.