Valerie Harmer
Practical, solution-focused counselling for life changes
About Valerie
Valerie Harmer is a counsellor who helps people facing stress, anxiety, depression, relationship problems and grief. She also supports those dealing with self-esteem, anger, sleep and eating difficulties, ADHD, career uncertainty and major life changes. Valerie uses straightforward, practical methods to help people move forward.
Her style is collaborative and solution-focused. She asks questions to map what keeps a problem going and to spot small changes that can make a difference.
Background and approach
Sessions may be brief or longer term depending on someone’s goals. Valerie offers clear feedback and practical suggestions rather than abstract theory. Her training includes postgraduate study in counselling and CBT psychotherapy at the University of South Wales.
She also completed a diploma in Solution Focused Hypnotherapy at the Clifton Practice in Bristol and bereavement counselling training with CRUSE. She has nine years of professional experience. Valerie is a member of the British Association for Counselling and Psychotherapy, BACP.
As a BACP member she takes part in regular supervision and ongoing professional development. This shapes how she plans sessions and follows professional guidelines. Clients can expect a pragmatic approach that blends Cognitive Behavioural Therapy, mindfulness and solution-focused work.
The aim is to break unhelpful patterns and build small, useful changes that suit daily life.
What Valerie works with
How Valerie works
Listed by Valerie among the ways they work.
Listed by Valerie among the ways they work.
Listed by Valerie among the ways they work.
Sessions & fees
How Valerie’s approaches work online
Valerie uses Cognitive Behavioural Therapy and Solution-Focused Therapy to help with everyday problems. CBT looks at the links between thoughts, feelings and behaviour and offers practical strategies to change unhelpful patterns. It can help with anxiety, depression, sleep and obsessions. Solution-Focused Therapy concentrates on small, practical steps and what people want to achieve rather than only on the problem. It suits people who want clear actions and short-term progress.Finding the right approach is part of the work together. The therapist will ask about your goals, preferences and what has or hasn’t helped before. Together you can try one method and adapt it, or blend approaches to fit your needs. This is a collaborative process with room to change direction as you learn what works.
Online sessions are offered by video call, phone, live chat or text-based messaging to give flexibility. Video calls allow face-to-face conversation when a longer session is needed. Phone sessions can be easier when bandwidth is limited or when a quieter, audio-only check-in fits a short break. Live chat and messaging are useful for brief check-ins, written reflection or when typing feels more comfortable. These formats make it easier to fit therapy into work, home and busy schedules while keeping the focus on practical change.
| 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
- Relationship issues
- Grief
Also listed
- ADHD
- Anger management
- Attachment issues
- Autism and Asperger Syndrome
- Career difficulties
- Coaching
- Commitment issues
- Communication problems
- Control issues
- Coping with life changes
- Depression
- Divorce and separation
- Eating disorders
- Emptiness
- Family conflicts
- Family of origin issues
- Family problems
- Forgiveness
- Guilt and shame
- Hospice and end-of-life counselling
- LGBT
- Life purpose
- Midlife crisis
- Obsessions, compulsions, and OCD
- Panic disorder and panic attacks
- Parenting issues
- Phobias
- Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD)
- Self esteem
- Sleeping disorders
- Social anxiety and phobia
- Somatization
- Trauma and abuse
- Women's issues
- Workplace issues
- Young adult issues
Therapeutic approaches
- Experience
- 9 years
- Registered with
- BACP
- Languages
- English
