David Atlay

• Client‑centred therapy
• Cognitive behavioural techniques
• Career and parenting concerns

About David

David Atlay works on stress, anxiety, low self‑esteem, relationship concerns, addiction and life changes using person‑centred methods and practical problem solving. He is a registered member of the British Association for Counselling and Psychotherapy (BACP) and has ten years' experience working with adults in the United Kingdom.

David trained to postgraduate diploma level in counselling, and he combines a client‑centred way of working with elements of solution‑focused thinking. Sessions are conversational and goal‑oriented. He listens, reflects what is being said and helps people identify manageable next steps they can try between sessions.

People come to him for issues such as depression, coping with bereavement, stress at work, difficulties with eating and relationship problems. He also works with concerns linked to adoption and foster care, attachment issues, caregiver stress and ageing and geriatric matters. Other focus areas include body image, communication problems and managing anger.

David uses practical tools from cognitive behavioural ideas alongside client‑centred listening to help with unhelpful thinking and behaviour patterns. He explains techniques plainly and practises them together with the person in the room. Progress is measured in changes to daily routines, mood and managing triggers more effectively.

Sessions are intended to be straightforward and respectful. David encourages people to set clear goals and to review what works in regular check‑ins. He aims to help people build skills they can use after counselling has ended.

How his main approaches work for online counselling

Client‑centred therapy focuses on listening, understanding and reflecting what matters to the person. It helps people talk through difficult feelings, build self‑awareness and decide what changes to try next. Cognitive behavioural therapy, or CBT, looks at unhelpful thoughts and behaviours and teaches practical techniques to reduce stress, manage low mood and change patterns that cause problems.

Finding the right approach is part of the work. He will talk with the person about goals and preferences and agree which methods to use. That collaborative decision is reviewed as progress is made and techniques are adjusted to suit how someone responds.

Practical benefits of online counselling depend on the session formats available; this profile does not list specific formats so please confirm options before booking. In general, online sessions can make it easier to fit counselling into a busy day, allow shorter check‑ins when needed and remove travel time. They can also allow work on cognitive tools and behavioural experiments between meetings to help carry changes into everyday life.

Topics David lists

• Stress and anxiety
• Self-esteem
• Career difficulties
• Depression
• Coping with life changes
• Addictions
• Relationship issues
• Trauma and abuse
• Grief
• Eating disorders
• Parenting issues
• Anger management
• Coaching
• Compassion fatigue
• Abandonment
• Adoption and foster care
• Aging and geriatric issues
• Antisocial personality
• Attachment issues
• BDSM, kink, and alternative sex culture
• Blended family issues
• Body image
• Caregiver issues and stress
• Commitment issues
• Communication problems
• Control issues
• Dependent personality
• Divorce and separation
• Eating and food-related issues
• Emptiness
• Family problems
• Forgiveness
• Guilt and shame
• Hoarding
• Immigration issues
• Impulsivity
• Infidelity
• Isolation and loneliness
• Jealousy
• Life purpose
• Men's issues
• Midlife crisis
• Veteran and armed forces issues
• Money and financial issues
• Multicultural concerns
• Narcissism
• Obsessions, compulsions, and OCD
• Panic disorder and panic attacks
• Paranoia
• Personality disorders
• Post-traumatic stress
• Prejudice and discrimination
• Process addictions
• Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD)
• Self-harm
• Self-love
• Sex addiction
• Sexual dysfunction
• Sexuality
• Social anxiety and phobia
• Workplace issues
• Young adult issues

Ways of working

• Client-Centred Therapy
• Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT)

Questions about David

Does he work with anxiety?

Yes. He helps people manage anxiety with listening, practical coping strategies and cognitive behavioural techniques.

What kind of counselling does he offer?

He uses client‑centred therapy alongside elements of cognitive behavioural therapy (CBT) and solution‑focused approaches.

How much experience does he have?

He has ten years' experience working with adults in the United Kingdom.

Is he a registered counsellor in the UK?

He is a registered member of the British Association for Counselling and Psychotherapy (BACP).

Can I have sessions in another language?

Sessions are offered in English.

What session formats does he offer?

Session formats are not specified in the profile; please confirm current options before booking.

How much do sessions cost?

Cost varies with location and sessions use a subscription that can be cancelled at any time.

How do I get started with him?

Use the Talk to a counsellor online button, complete the short matching questionnaire and schedule a first session.