Shirley Rocks
A warm, compassionate counsellor for adults
About Shirley
Shirley Rocks offers calm, steady support for adults facing difficult life moments. She aims to make each conversation simple and grounded, so people can talk about stress, anxiety, grief and other struggles without feeling judged. Shirley works from a compassionate, person-centred stance.
She helps people build self-understanding and emotional resilience. Sessions move at a pace the client chooses and focus on practical ways to feel steadier day to day. Her background includes training with the Mid Ulster Association of Counsellors and Psychotherapy and with Cruse Bereavement, where she focused on grief and loss.
Background and approach
Shirley holds BACP accreditation, which informs her professional practice in the United Kingdom. She draws on a range of therapeutic approaches to suit different needs, including Acceptance and Commitment Therapy, attachment-based ideas, emotionally-focused work and client-centred practice. Shirley also uses elements of the Gottman Method for relationship concerns when relevant.
For people who like creative ways of working, Shirley offers optional guided poetry and journaling. No prior writing experience is needed and the exercises are used to help name and process feelings. Shirley has four years of experience supporting adults through anxiety, depression, trauma, parenting strain, sleep and eating difficulties, ADHD, addictions and relationship worries.
Her style is warm, gentle and practical, aiming to help people take small courageous steps towards feeling better.
What Shirley works with
How Shirley works
Listed by Shirley among the ways they work.
Listed by Shirley among the ways they work.
Listed by Shirley among the ways they work.
Listed by Shirley among the ways they work.
Listed by Shirley among the ways they work.
Listed by Shirley among the ways they work.
Sessions & fees
Therapeutic approaches and online support
Shirley commonly uses Acceptance and Commitment Therapy and Attachment-Based Therapy alongside client-centred work. Acceptance and Commitment Therapy helps people notice painful thoughts and feelings without getting stuck in them, and to focus on small actions that match their values. Attachment-Based Therapy looks at patterns from early relationships to understand current worries about closeness and trust. Client-Centred Therapy places the person at the heart of sessions, offering empathetic listening and helping people find their own solutions.Choosing the right approach is part of the work. Shirley will discuss options with each person and try different ways of working to see what fits. This is a collaborative process aimed at matching methods to the client’s goals, needs and preferences rather than using a one-size-fits-all plan.
Online therapy offers flexible ways to meet. Video calls let conversations feel close and visual. Phone sessions can be helpful when bandwidth is limited or for shorter check-ins. Live chat and text-based messaging work for people who prefer typing, need discreet check-ins during the day, or want written prompts to reflect on between sessions. These formats make it easier to fit therapy around work, parenting and travel 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
- Stress, Anxiety
- Family conflicts
- Trauma and abuse
Also listed
- Abandonment
- Addictions
- ADHD
- Attachment issues
- Body image
- Communication problems
- Depression
- Eating disorders
- Grief
- Guilt and shame
- Isolation / loneliness
- Life purpose
- Midlife crisis
- Narcissism
- Panic disorder and panic attacks
- Parenting issues
- Post-traumatic stress
- Relationship issues
- Self esteem
- Self-love
- Sleeping disorders
- Social anxiety and phobia
- Women's issues
- Workplace issues
Therapeutic approaches
- Experience
- 4 years
- Registered with
- BACP
- Languages
- English
