Sally Pettigrew

Approaches that guide online sessions and why they help

Evidence-based therapeutic techniques often used in relationship and trauma work focus on improving how people communicate and on practical skills to manage anxiety. One approach concentrates on communication skills and relationship patterns, helping people notice unhelpful cycles, practise different responses and rebuild trust after breaches such as infidelity. This suits relationship strain and repeated arguments.

Another approach emphasises grounding and symptom management for anxiety and panic. It teaches simple techniques to reduce immediate distress, break the panic cycle and build confidence in everyday situations. This is helpful for panic attacks, high stress and intrusive memories after trauma.

Choosing the right approach is part of the work. The therapist will collaborate with each person to identify goals, try methods, and adjust the plan if needed. That means the chosen techniques evolve with the client’s needs and preferences rather than being fixed from the start.

Online therapy offers practical benefits for this kind of work. Video calls allow face-to-face conversation when visual cues matter. Phone sessions or short live chats can fit into a busy day or use less bandwidth. Text-based messaging supports brief check-ins and ongoing reflection between meetings. These options make it easier to keep therapy consistent while fitting sessions into real life.