Nicola Willoughby
Therapist for trauma, grief and life changes
About Nicola
Nicola Willoughby helps people facing trauma and abuse, grief, parenting pressures, career crossroads and major life changes. She is based in the United Kingdom and is a BACP member. Nicola writes plainly and aims to make therapy straightforward and approachable for worried parents and busy people.
Nicola trained as an integrative counsellor, which means she uses different methods and adapts to what each person needs. She explains things simply and tries to find practical ways to move forward.
Background and approach
Sessions focus on clear steps and noticing strengths that are already present. Her work has included support around bereavement and loss, domestic violence, anxiety and emotional regulation. Nicola also has experience with issues linked to attachment, communication difficulties, divorce and separation, and pregnancy and childbirth.
She has worked with people who have an ADHD or autism spectrum diagnosis and helps them recognise their strengths. Nicola completed a higher diploma in cognitive behavioural therapy, a foundation certificate in working with children and teens, and further training in bereavement and domestic abuse.
Her background gives her a range of tools to draw on while keeping the sessions focused and practical. In meetings she aims to help people find their own answers rather than give quick fixes. Nicola uses conversational work, practical strategies and gentle reflection so people can build confidence and make changes at their own pace.
Therapy is carried out in English and offered through video calls, phone, live chat or text-based messaging. Nicola has been practising since 2020 and is registered with the British Association for Counselling and Psychotherapy (BACP).
What Nicola works with
Sessions & fees
Approaches that guide online work
Nicola draws on evidence-based therapeutic techniques and adapts them to each person's needs. Cognitive behavioural approaches focus on identifying unhelpful thought patterns and trying small, practical changes to reduce anxiety and panic. This method can help with panic attacks, phobias and many everyday worries.She also uses integrative counselling, which combines helpful elements from different therapies into a personalised plan. That can include talking through feelings, practising emotional regulation skills, and finding strategies for communication and attachment difficulties.
Choosing the right approach is part of the work itself. Nicola will discuss options with each person and agree together what feels most useful. That collaborative process adjusts over time as goals and needs become clearer.
Online sessions are offered by video call, phone, live chat or text-based messaging to suit different situations. Video calls allow face-to-face conversation when a fuller interaction is helpful. Phone sessions use less bandwidth and can fit into a short break, while chat and messaging can be easier for quick check-ins or if someone prefers not to use a camera. These formats make therapy more flexible for people balancing parenting, work and other commitments.
| Session length | Typically 50 minutes |
|---|---|
| Client ages | Adults, 18 and over |
| Fees | Subscription via BetterHelp, cancel anytime |
| Insurance | Not billed directly |
Questions people ask
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Areas of focus
What this therapist works with
Most often
- Trauma and abuse
- Grief
- Parenting issues
Also listed
- Attachment issues
- Career difficulties
- Communication problems
- Coping with life changes
- Divorce and separation
- Domestic violence
- Eating and food-related issues
- Fertility issues
- Guilt and shame
- Hoarding
- Narcissism
- Panic disorder and panic attacks
- Phobias
- Pregnancy and childbirth
- Self-love
- Social anxiety and phobia
- Women's issues
- Workplace issues
- Experience
- 3 years
- Registered with
- BACP
- Languages
- English
