About Richard
Richard Whitelaw is a counsellor registered with the British Association for Counselling and Psychotherapy (BACP) with six years of professional experience. He helps people manage stress, anxiety, depression, grief and anger, and supports work on self-esteem and motivation. He aims to meet each person with respect, sensitivity and compassion.
Conversations are shaped around what matters most to the individual. Richard adapts how he works to match a person’s needs rather than relying on a one-size-fits-all plan.
How Richard works
Richard draws on client-centred ideas to make sessions collaborative and grounded in the client’s experience. He uses mindfulness techniques to help people notice thoughts and feelings without being overwhelmed by them. Internal Family Systems work can help people understand different parts of themselves and how those parts interact.
Typical topics include relationship patterns, attachment and abandonment worries, body image, caregiver stress, communication and control difficulties, and life-purpose concerns. He also supports people dealing with guilt, shame, anger, impulsivity and isolation. Sessions focus on practical steps as well as understanding where difficulties come from.
Richard works at a calm pace and aims to build clearer thinking and steadier emotions. He encourages small, realistic changes that fit into everyday life.
Richard lists 3 ways of working on the entry:
What Richard works with
The areas below are the ones Richard selected when setting up a profile. The first few are listed as the main focus; the rest are also named.
- Stress, Anxiety
- Grief
- Anger management
Also listed
- Abandonment
- Attachment issues
- Body image
- Caregiver issues and stress
- Communication problems
- Control issues
- Depression
- Divorce and separation
- Forgiveness
- Guilt and shame
- Impulsivity
- Isolation / loneliness
- Life purpose
- Men's issues
- Midlife crisis
- Money and financial issues
- Mood disorders
- Panic disorder and panic attacks
- Post-traumatic stress
- Self esteem
- Self-love
- Social anxiety and phobia
- Workplace issues
Training and background
| Register | BACP |
|---|---|
| Years in practice | 6 |
| 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
Approaches you can use online with a counsellor
Client-centred work keeps the client’s experience at the heart of each session. The counsellor listens closely and follows what matters to the person, helping them find their own solutions and build confidence. Mindfulness therapy teaches simple attention practices to notice thoughts and feelings without becoming overwhelmed; this can help with anxiety, stress and low mood. Internal Family Systems looks at the different parts that make up a person’s inner life and helps them understand and relate to those parts with more compassion.Finding the right method is part of the work together. Richard will discuss these approaches with the client and choose what fits best for their needs, goals and preferences. The process is collaborative and open to change as progress is made.
Online sessions are offered by video call, phone, live chat or text-based messaging to suit different needs. Video calls are useful for more in-depth conversations, phone sessions can be a good shorter check-in, and messaging or live chat can fit times when someone needs flexible, brief support. These options make it easier to schedule around work, caregiving or travel and let people keep therapy going from wherever they are.
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Common questions
What concerns does Richard commonly help with?
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What experience does he bring to sessions?
How is he credentialed and where is he based?
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How are sessions paid for and what do they cost?
How do I begin working with him?
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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