Alan Cox

Alan Cox is a counsellor who helps people facing stress, anxiety, depression, relationship problems and addiction. He works with people dealing with grief, anger, self-esteem and life changes such as redundancy or retirement. Alan also supports those struggling with sleep, eating, intimacy and workplace pressures. He trained in counselling and holds a BA (Hons) in Counselling and a Foundation Degree in Counselling, and he is registered with the BACP.

Alan began counselling work in 2008, first in the voluntary charity sector and then in private practice from 2012. He continues to offer supervision within the bereavement sector. His background includes coaching, training and people development, which informs a practical view of clients' problems.

Sessions focus on listening, reflecting and helping people find what works for them. He uses a client-centred approach alongside other methods such as acceptance and commitment ideas, cognitive behavioural techniques, mindfulness and psychodynamic thinking. The aim is to help people understand what is feeding their difficulties and to identify useful next steps.

Alan says counselling is about helping people help themselves, not telling them what to do. He draws on different therapy models, tailoring the work to each person rather than applying one fixed approach. His own experience of having had therapy informs how he relates to clients.

People come to him when everyday pressures feel overwhelming or when a life change needs making sense of. He encourages a practical focus on causes and on small, manageable changes that can reduce ongoing distress.

Therapeutic approaches for online counselling