Richard Whitelaw
Practical, respectful support for everyday struggles
About Richard
Richard Whitelaw is a counsellor based in the United Kingdom with six years of professional experience and a BACP credential. He aims to make the first step into therapy feel manageable. He speaks plainly and meets people where they are.
He focuses on practical problems that often build up over time. These include stress, anxiety, depression, grief, anger, self-esteem and motivation. He also pays attention to issues such as attachment and abandonment, body image, caregiver stress, communication and control struggles.
Background and approach
Sessions are shaped around each person’s needs. He prefers a conversational, client-centred approach that listens first and proposes steps second. Mindfulness practices are offered when they might help with anxiety or mood, and Internal Family Systems ideas are used to look at the different parts of a person that affect choices and feelings.
Richard works in a direct and respectful way. He aims to reduce overwhelm with short, clear suggestions and simple practices to try between sessions. He also helps people think through difficult decisions like separation or financial stress.
If someone is unsure where to begin, he steers the conversation toward what matters most now. Small goals and practical tools are used to build momentum. The tone is calm, non-judgemental and focused on real-life changes.
What Richard works with
How Richard works
Listed by Richard among the ways they work.
Listed by Richard among the ways they work.
Listed by Richard among the ways they work.
Sessions & fees
How his approaches translate to online therapy
Client-Centred Therapy focuses on listening and building a respectful relationship. In an online session this means the counsellor reflects what matters to the person and follows their lead to decide what to work on. Mindfulness Therapy introduces simple attention and breathing practices to reduce anxiety and lift mood; these can be practised during or between remote sessions to help with stress and low mood. Internal Family Systems looks at the different parts inside someone that hold emotions or beliefs and helps them relate to those parts with curiosity and care; this approach can be useful for issues like grief, shame or impulsivity.Finding the right approach is part of the work together. The therapist will discuss options and adapt techniques to fit what the person wants and needs. This is a collaborative process that may shift over time as goals and comfort change.
Online sessions offer practical benefits such as flexibility and easier scheduling. Video calls allow face-to-face conversation when visual cues matter. Phone sessions use less bandwidth and can be a quicker check-in. Live chat or text-based messaging can suit short updates or people who prefer writing. These options make it easier to fit therapy around work, caregiving and daily life while still working with registered or accredited professionals.
| 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
- 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
Therapeutic approaches
- Experience
- 6 years
- Registered with
- BACP
- Languages
- English
