About James
James Costigan is a counsellor who focuses on helping men slow down and understand themselves. He aims to create a steady, supportive space where clients can work through stress, anxiety and the issues that make life feel harder. He draws on nine years of experience and is registered with the British Association for Counselling and Psychotherapy, BACP.
James uses straightforward conversation to help people make sense of their emotions. Sessions tend to move at a pace the client finds manageable.
How James works
James works with a range of concerns including depression, addictions, relationship and intimacy-related issues, self-esteem and career pressures. He also helps with ADHD, anger, body image and problems rooted in attachment or abandonment. His approach mixes client-centred listening with practical strategies from cognitive behavioural therapy and mindfulness practice.
That blend aims to increase self-awareness and give techniques to manage unhelpful thoughts, urges and reactions. People who find him a good fit usually want honest, grounded support rather than abstract theory. James also brings experience from a corporate background to conversations about work stress and performance expectations.
Therapy can involve talking about sensitive topics such as codependency, kink and alternative sex culture, divorce, substance use, caregiver stress and family problems. The focus is on helping the individual build clarity, confidence and everyday coping skills.
James lists 3 ways of working on the entry:
What James works with
The areas below are the ones James selected when setting up a profile. The first few are listed as the main focus; the rest are also named.
- Stress, Anxiety
- Addictions
- Relationship issues
Also listed
- Abandonment
- ADHD
- Anger management
- Attachment issues
- Avoidant personality
- BDSM, kink, and alternative sex culture
- Body image
- Career difficulties
- Caregiver issues and stress
- Coaching
- Codependency
- Commitment issues
- Communication problems
- Control issues
- Coping with life changes
- Dependent personality
- Depression
- Divorce and separation
- Drug and alcohol addiction
- Emptiness
- Family problems
- First responder issues
- Forgiveness
- Guilt and shame
- HIV / AIDS
- Hoarding
- Immigration issues
- Impulsivity
- Infidelity
- Intimacy-related issues
- Isolation / loneliness
- Jealousy
- LGBT
- Life purpose
- Men's issues
- Midlife crisis
- Money and financial issues
- Narcissism
- Obsessions, compulsions, and OCD
- Paranoia
- Phobias
- Polyamory / non-monogamous relationships
- Process addiction (porn, exercise, gambling)
- Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD)
- Self esteem
- Self-harm
- Self-love
- Sex addiction
- Sexual dysfunction
- Sexuality
- Smoking / vaping cessation
- Social anxiety and phobia
- Veteran and Armed Forces Issues
- Workplace issues
- Young adult issues
Training and background
| Register | BACP |
|---|---|
| Years in practice | 9 |
| Languages | English |
| Session format | Online: video, phone, live chat or messaging |
| Country | United Kingdom |
Memberships and registers are shown as supplied; they are not licences, and this directory does not verify them.
Online support options
How his approaches translate to online therapy
Client-Centred Therapy places the client's experience at the heart of the work. The therapist listens without judgement and follows the client's lead to help them make sense of feelings and choices. This approach can be useful for people needing a calm space to reflect and be heard.Cognitive Behavioural Therapy, or CBT, focuses on practical strategies to notice and change unhelpful thoughts and behaviours. It often involves simple exercises and experiments between sessions to reduce anxiety, manage cravings and improve mood.
Mindfulness Therapy teaches ways to bring attention back to the present moment through brief practices. It can help reduce rumination, ease stress and improve emotional regulation in everyday life.
Finding the right approach is part of the process. The therapist will work collaboratively to match methods to the client's needs, goals and preferences. That means adapting sessions as understanding grows and trying different tools until something fits.
Online therapy offers practical flexibility. Video calls support face-to-face conversation and non-verbal cues, phone sessions use less bandwidth and can suit shorter check-ins, and live chat or text messaging allow for ongoing reflection and quick support between appointments. These options make it easier to fit therapy around work, travel or family commitments and to continue work with a registered or accredited professional across locations.
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Common questions
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A practical next step
Write down two things you would want to be different in six months. That is the most useful thing to bring to a first session, whoever it is with. If you would rather start now than keep reading, online sessions are the quickest route.
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