Sharon Belshaw

• Trauma-focused therapy
• Cognitive behavioural therapy
• EMDR and hypnotherapy

About Sharon

Sharon Belshaw helps people work through stress, anxiety, trauma and relationship concerns using practical, evidence-informed methods. She describes her way of working as flexible and engaging, and notes a willingness to adapt sessions around childcare, caring responsibilities and work demands. Sharon is a member of the British Association for Counselling and Psychotherapy (BACP) and has 15 years' experience.

She has worked in GP practices, schools, a brain injury centre, corporate settings and the third sector. That range informs how she plans sessions and supports people with everyday pressures as well as complex histories. Her background includes time as a clinical lead and more recently as a chief executive of an organisation focused on related services.

Sharon focuses on trauma, including sexual trauma, alongside depression, addictions, grief and issues around intimacy and body image. She also works with concerns such as sleep problems, panic attacks, caregiver stress and midlife crises. Her practice includes therapy and coaching for work-related concerns as well as personal problems.

Her clinical approaches include cognitive behavioural therapy (CBT), eye movement desensitisation and reprocessing (EMDR), hypnotherapy and trauma-focused therapy. She keeps up with continuing professional development and draws on research to shape her sessions.

Sharon has received a Health and Social Care award and has had an article published in a national journal. She offers management consultation and staff coaching in addition to one-to-one counselling.

How her approaches translate to online work

Sharon uses cognitive behavioural therapy and EMDR alongside hypnotherapy in her practice. CBT involves identifying patterns of thought and behaviour and trying practical experiments to change them; it is often used for anxiety, low mood and sleeping problems. EMDR is a trauma-focused method that works with disturbing memories and the physical responses they trigger to reduce their intensity and emotional charge. Hypnotherapy uses guided relaxation and focused attention to help with issues such as stress, habit change and some forms of sleep difficulty.

Choosing the right approach is part of the work together. Sharon will discuss different options with each person and agree what to try based on their goals, history and what feels manageable in sessions. That collaborative plan can change as progress is made.

Confirm the exact session formats before booking, as the biography does not specify them. Online sessions can make it easier to fit counselling around work, childcare and caring duties, reduce travel time and allow shorter check-ins when full session time is not needed. Registered and accredited professionals can use a range of therapeutic tools in remote appointments to continue structured CBT work, run trauma-focused interventions and practice relaxation or guided techniques.

Topics Sharon lists

• Stress and anxiety
• Relationship issues
• Family conflicts
• Trauma and abuse
• Depression
• Addictions
• Grief
• Intimacy-related issues
• Eating disorders
• Sleeping disorders
• Career difficulties
• Coping with life changes
• Coaching
• Compassion fatigue
• Abandonment
• Aging and geriatric issues
• Attachment issues
• Body image
• Caregiver issues and stress
• Commitment issues
• Dissociation
• Divorce and separation
• Domestic violence
• Guilt and shame
• Midlife crisis
• Mood disorders
• Panic disorder and panic attacks
• Personality disorders
• Postpartum depression
• Post-traumatic stress
• Pregnancy and childbirth
• Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD)
• Self-harm
• Sexual assault and abuse
• Social anxiety and phobia
• Somatization
• Traumatic brain injury
• Women's issues
• Workplace issues
• Young adult issues

Ways of working

• Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT)
• Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing (EMDR)
• Hypnotherapy
• Trauma-Focused Therapy

Questions about Sharon

Does she work with anxiety?

Yes. Anxiety and panic attacks are listed among the concerns she supports.

What kind of counselling does she offer?

She uses cognitive behavioural therapy, EMDR, hypnotherapy and trauma-focused therapy.

How long has she been practising?

She has 15 years' experience working in a range of settings including GP practices and education.

Is she a member of a professional body in the UK?

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

Can I have sessions in a language other than English?

Sessions are offered in English.

Does she take international clients?

She does not accept international clients at this time.

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 sessions?

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