Petra Vidal

• Stress and anxiety
• Self esteem work
• CBT and mindfulness

About Petra

Petra Vidal helps people manage stress, anxiety, low self-esteem and depression using client-centred and cognitive approaches. She also supports people facing relationship worries, grief, career questions and effects of trauma and abuse. Petra is registered with the British Association for Counselling and Psychotherapy and has three years of professional experience.

Petra works in a straightforward, conversational way. She offers a setting where clients can talk through difficult thoughts and feelings and be heard without judgement. Sessions focus on what is happening now and on practical steps people can try between meetings to test what helps.

She draws on Client-Centred Therapy to build a respectful working relationship, and on Cognitive Behavioural Therapy to identify unhelpful thought patterns and small experiments to change them. Petra also uses elements of existential thinking to look at meaning and choice, and mindfulness practices to help with stress and grounding.

Typical concerns she addresses include anxiety, depression, low confidence, relationship and family problems, bereavement, eating issues, bipolar mood concerns, and coping with life changes. She also pays attention to attachment and family of origin issues, feelings of emptiness, dissociation, and patterns such as avoidant or dependent behaviour.

Sessions are carried out in English and are based in the United Kingdom. Petra explains how the counselling subscription works and the steps needed to begin, and she supports people to set simple, realistic goals for therapy.

How Petra uses counselling approaches online

Petra commonly draws on Client-Centred Therapy and Cognitive Behavioural Therapy when working with people online. Client-Centred Therapy focuses on building a respectful, non-directive relationship so the client can explore feelings and choices. Cognitive Behavioural Therapy looks at how thoughts, feelings and actions link together and uses practical exercises to test new ways of coping and thinking.

Finding the right approach is part of the work itself. Petra will discuss what matters most to the client, agree goals and try methods that fit those goals and preferences. The choice of technique is collaborative and can change as progress is made.

Practical benefits of counselling delivered remotely include fitting sessions around work and family life and reducing travel time. Remote sessions can also make it easier to have a shorter check-in when time is limited or to avoid using a camera if that feels difficult. The exact session formats should be confirmed before booking, as current options are set at the point of scheduling.

Topics Petra lists

• Stress and anxiety
• Self-esteem
• Depression
• LGBT
• Relationship issues
• Family conflicts
• Trauma and abuse
• Grief
• Eating disorders
• Career difficulties
• Bipolar disorder
• Coping with life changes
• Abandonment
• Attachment issues
• Avoidant personality
• Control issues
• Dependent personality
• Dissociation
• Emptiness
• Family of origin issues
• Family problems
• Guilt and shame
• Hoarding
• Isolation and loneliness
• Life purpose
• Midlife crisis
• Narcissism
• Panic disorder and panic attacks
• Self-harm
• Self-love
• Sexual assault and abuse
• Women's issues
• Young adult issues

Ways of working

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

Questions about Petra

Does she help with anxiety and depression?

Yes. Petra works with anxiety, depression, low self-esteem and related concerns such as stress and isolation.

What kind of counselling does she offer?

She uses Client-Centred Therapy alongside Cognitive Behavioural Therapy and mindfulness techniques, with some existential perspectives on meaning and choice.

How much experience does she have?

She has three years of professional experience working with people on a range of issues.

Is she registered with a professional body in the UK?

Yes. Petra is registered with the British Association for Counselling and Psychotherapy (BACP).

Can I see her in another language?

Sessions are offered in English.

Does she take international clients?

She does not accept international clients at this time.

How are sessions arranged and what do they cost?

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

How do I begin counselling with her?

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