Lilia Sykes , BACP

Lilia Sykes is a UK-based counsellor who brings eight years of professional experience to her therapeutic work and holds BACP accreditation, denoting membership in the British Association for Counselling and Psychotherapy. She places a person-centered approach at the heart of her practice, creating a warm and empathetic space where individuals can explore their thoughts and emotions without judgement. Her work emphasises pacing the process to the client’s readiness and integrating evidence-informed techniques from approaches such as Acceptance and Commitment Therapy, Cognitive Behavioral Therapy, mindfulness, and motivational interviewing when appropriate.

She supports people facing a wide range of concerns including stress, anxiety, relationship difficulties, low self-esteem, depression, trauma and abuse, grief, addictions, LGBT-related issues, parenting and family challenges, and life transitions. Additional areas of focus include attachment and abandonment issues, body image, chronic illness and pain, codependency, isolation, and workplace compassion fatigue. Lilia values cultural diversity and brings an open, respectful attitude to each therapeutic relationship.

In practice she aims to be flexible with contact methods and, where possible, offers voice calls while making exceptions for clients who prefer video or live chat. She also welcomes questions and brief contacts between sessions when appropriate. Lilia works with clients in the UK and with international clients, and she is not currently accepting new clients.

Integrative approaches for effective online support

Lilia uses client-centered therapy to build a respectful, non-directive space where the client’s priorities guide each session; this approach helps people feel heard and supported while they explore personal goals and relationships. Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT) is used to help clients clarify their values and develop practical ways to accept difficult thoughts and feelings while taking meaningful action. Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) is offered to identify and shift unhelpful thinking and behaviour patterns, which can be useful for issues like anxiety, depression, and coping with change.

Finding the right approach is a collaborative process. Lilia and the client work together to choose and adapt techniques based on the individual’s needs, goals, and preferences, and licensed professionals can combine methods to best support progress.

Online therapy with Lilia is available via video calls, phone sessions, live chat, or text-based messaging, offering flexibility for different schedules and comfort levels. These options make it easier to access ongoing support from therapists without travel, accommodate busy lives, and maintain continuity of care during transitions or when in different locations.