Mehreen Haroon-Ali

Therapeutic approaches suited to online counselling

Acceptance and Commitment Therapy, or ACT, encourages people to identify what matters to them and take small, values-based steps even when difficult thoughts or feelings appear. It can be helpful for anxiety, stress and getting unstuck from avoidance patterns. Cognitive Behavioural Therapy, or CBT, focuses on spotting unhelpful thinking and testing different behaviours. It often helps with anxiety, low mood, sleep and problem-solving in everyday life. Attachment-Based Therapy looks at how early patterns influence current relationships and can clarify why certain interactions trigger strong reactions; this can be useful for intimacy and relationship concerns.

Finding the right approach is part of the work. The therapist will talk with the client about goals, preferences and how they respond to different methods. Together they will choose techniques that feel practical and manageable, and adapt the plan as progress is made.

Online therapy offers flexible ways to connect. Video calls allow face-to-face conversations and visual cues. Phone sessions can fit into a short break or when bandwidth is limited. Live chat and text-based messaging make it easier to check in between sessions or to have shorter, focused conversations. These formats help people access therapy from different locations and at times that suit their schedules, while keeping the focus on steady progress and meaningful change.