Paula Bantick-Ward

• Stress and anxiety
• Addictions support
• Relationship work

About Paula

Paula Bantick-Ward helps people with stress, anxiety, addictions, relationship difficulties, grief and depression using person-centred counselling and complementary methods. She is a registered member of the British Association for Counselling and Psychotherapy (BACP) and has eight years' experience in practice.

Paula offers one-to-one and couple work that looks at feelings, reactions and practical coping. She listens without judgement and keeps sessions non-directive, helping clients find their own way to understand difficult emotions. Sessions may include reflective talking, journaling or creative exercises when appropriate.

She also draws on cognitive behavioural techniques and elements of solution-focused work to address unhelpful thoughts and build practical skills. This can be helpful for issues such as anxiety, low mood, addictive behaviours and stress management. The therapist may introduce short exercises between sessions to practise new ways of responding.

Attachment-based ideas inform how Paula understands relationship patterns, intimacy concerns and abandonment themes. Emotionally-Focused Therapy principles are used where the focus is on improving connection and expressing underlying feelings. These approaches are blended with a person-centred stance rather than delivered as rigid programmes.

Paula works with a wide range of concerns including eating and food-related issues, anger, self-esteem, career and coping with life changes. She also supports people facing caregiving stress, bereavement, separation and issues linked to adoption and blended family arrangements. Sessions are offered in English and international clients can be seen.

How her therapeutic approaches work in online sessions

Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT) helps people notice difficult thoughts and feelings without getting ruled by them, and to clarify what matters so they can act in line with those values. It is often used for anxiety, low mood and situations that require coping with ongoing stress.

Attachment-Based Therapy looks at how early bonds shape current relationship patterns. It can help people understand intimacy problems, abandonment concerns and how they react in close relationships.

Finding the right approach is part of the work together. The counsellor will discuss goals, preferences and what feels useful, then try methods that fit the person. This is a collaborative process and approaches may be adjusted as therapy progresses.

The biography notes she is qualified to provide online or telephone sessions; please confirm the current session formats before booking. Online work can make it easier to fit counselling into a busy week, reduce travel time and allow shorter check-ins when needed. Telephone sessions can be useful when lower bandwidth or no camera is preferred, while other remote options may suit different day-to-day routines.

Topics Paula lists

• Stress and anxiety
• Addictions
• Relationship issues
• Grief
• Depression
• LGBT
• Family conflicts
• Trauma and abuse
• Intimacy-related issues
• Eating disorders
• Anger management
• Self-esteem
• Career difficulties
• Coping with life changes
• Coaching
• Abandonment
• Adoption and foster care
• Aging and geriatric issues
• Attachment issues
• Blended family issues
• Cancer
• Caregiver issues and stress
• Co-morbidity
• Codependency
• Commitment issues
• Divorce and separation
• Domestic violence
• Drug and alcohol addiction
• Eating and food-related issues
• Emptiness
• Fertility issues
• Guilt and shame
• Infidelity
• Jealousy
• Midlife crisis
• Mood disorders
• Narcissism
• Panic disorder and panic attacks
• Phobias
• Polyamory and non-monogamous relationships
• Postpartum depression
• Post-traumatic stress
• Pregnancy and childbirth
• Process addictions
• Self-harm
• Sex addiction
• Sexual assault and abuse
• Women's issues
• Young adult issues

Ways of working

• Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT)
• Attachment-Based Therapy
• Client-Centred Therapy
• Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT)
• Emotionally-Focused Therapy (EFT)
• Mindfulness Therapy
• Motivational Interviewing
• Narrative Therapy
• Solution-Focused Therapy
• Trauma-Focused Therapy

Questions about Paula

Does she work with anxiety?

Yes. Anxiety is listed as one of the primary concerns she helps people with.

What kind of counselling does she offer?

She practises person-centred counselling and uses techniques from cognitive behavioural therapy, attachment-based work and emotionally-focused therapy.

How much experience does she have?

She has eight years' experience working as a counsellor.

Where is she based and what registration does she hold?

She is based in the United Kingdom and is a registered member of the British Association for Counselling and Psychotherapy (BACP).

Can I book sessions in English or from abroad?

Sessions are offered in English and she accepts international clients.

What session formats are available?

The biography states she is qualified to provide online or telephone sessions; confirm current session 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 start working with her?

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