Lindsay Sykes , BACP

Lindsay Sykes is a counsellor based in the North-West of England who has been practicing for 14 years. She welcomes people who are seeking support with loss, anxiety, depression, relationship difficulties, addictions, trauma, and a wide range of life changes, and she aims to help clients find greater fulfilment and purpose in their lives.

Her approach is integrative, with a foundation in the person-centred tradition that recognises each person as the expert in their own story. Lindsay listens attentively and supports clients to explore their thoughts and feelings at a pace that feels right for them. She is also a qualified cognitive behavioural therapist - CBT focuses on identifying specific patterns that maintain difficulties such as anxiety and low mood and working collaboratively to change those patterns, sometimes using practical tools when appropriate.

Other practices Lindsay may introduce include mindfulness exercises, journaling and creative techniques such as art-based work, always shaped by the therapeutic relationship between therapist and client. Over her career she has worked extensively with grief and bereavement, including miscarriage and pregnancy loss, baby and child loss, fertility concerns and ongoing pregnancy counselling after loss, and she has supported people affected by bereavement during the coronavirus pandemic. Lindsay holds BACP, which denotes membership of the British Association for Counselling and Psychotherapy and adherence to its professional standards.

Practical therapeutic approaches and online support

Licensed therapists working with Lindsay commonly use cognitive behavioural therapy and mindfulness-based practices. Cognitive behavioural therapy, or CBT, helps identify and shift unhelpful thinking and behaviour patterns that contribute to anxiety, low mood and related difficulties, often using collaborative, skills-based exercises. Mindfulness involves simple attention and awareness practices that can reduce reactivity to stress and help people build calmer responses to difficult thoughts and feelings.

Deciding which approach will help most is part of the therapeutic process. Lindsay works collaboratively with each person to explore goals, preferences and what feels manageable, adapting techniques to suit individual needs so that therapy fits the client rather than the other way around.

Online therapy with Lindsay is offered through video calls, phone sessions, live chat or text-based messaging to increase flexibility and access. These options make it easier to attend sessions around work, family and other commitments, and they allow continuity of care for clients who live some distance away or who prefer remote contact. Many people find that online sessions provide a practical, effective way to engage in therapy from their own environment.