Virginia Bowley

• Stress and anxiety
• Grief and bereavement
• Client-centred therapy

About Virginia

Virginia Bowley helps people with stress, anxiety, grief, relationship difficulties, depression and other life changes using a client-centred style and cognitive behavioural methods. She is an Accredited Counsellor with the British Association for Counselling and Psychotherapy (BACP) and has 24 years' experience. She also has experience in online counselling training.

Virginia began her career in nursing and spent 25 years working as a rehabilitation case manager. In that role she supported people who had sustained catastrophic injuries and were coping with multiple losses. She also worked for Cruse bereavement care for six years and has experience in private practice and in a further education college.

Her work focuses on talking through practical problems and emotional responses. Sessions cover immediate coping, managing difficult feelings and looking at patterns that keep problems going. She uses Client-Centred Therapy to prioritise the person's perspective, and draws on Cognitive Behavioural Therapy to try specific changes in thoughts and actions.

Virginia keeps monthly supervision and follows the BACP code of ethics. She has worked with people on issues such as addiction, bipolar experience, anger, low self-esteem and career concerns. Additional focus areas include adoption and foster care, ageing and geriatric issues, attachment matters and communication problems.

She speaks English and can work with international clients. Outside work she enjoys swimming, walking, cycling and reading.

How her approaches translate to online counselling

Client-Centred Therapy focuses on listening and reflecting the person's experience to help them make sense of feelings and choices. It is useful for relationship issues, grief, self-esteem and coping with life changes.

Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT) looks at links between thoughts, feelings and actions and uses practical steps to reduce distress. CBT techniques are often used for anxiety, depression and managing unhelpful behaviour.

Choosing the right approach is part of the work. The counsellor discusses the person's needs, goals and preferences and together they decide which methods to try. This collaborative process helps keep sessions focused and relevant.

Please confirm the current session formats before booking, as the biography does not specify them. Many people find online sessions helpful for fitting counselling into busy days, avoiding travel and checking in from different locations. Some formats make it easier to have shorter check-ins or to avoid using video when that's not wanted. Registered or accredited professionals can adapt exercises and CBT worksheets for remote sessions to keep them practical and task-focused.

Topics Virginia lists

• Stress and anxiety
• Relationship issues
• Grief
• Depression
• Coping with life changes
• Addictions
• Family conflicts
• Trauma and abuse
• Anger management
• Self-esteem
• Career difficulties
• Bipolar disorder
• Coaching
• Adoption and foster care
• Aging and geriatric issues
• Attachment issues
• Autism and Asperger Syndrome
• Caregiver issues and stress
• Chronic pain, illness, and disability
• Communication problems
• Control issues
• Coping with natural or human-caused disaster
• Divorce and separation
• Forgiveness
• Guilt and shame
• Hospice and end-of-life counselling
• Intellectual disability
• Isolation and loneliness
• Jealousy
• Life purpose
• Obsessions, compulsions, and OCD
• Panic disorder and panic attacks
• Post-traumatic stress
• Prejudice and discrimination
• Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD)
• Self-love
• Social anxiety and phobia
• Traumatic brain injury
• Visually impaired
• Workplace issues

Ways of working

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

Questions about Virginia

Does she work with anxiety?

Yes. She works with anxiety and related stress issues using practical approaches to manage symptoms and reduce avoidance.

What kind of counselling does she offer?

She practices Client-Centred Therapy and uses Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT) techniques where helpful.

How much experience does she have?

She has 24 years of experience, including roles in nursing, rehabilitation case management and bereavement support.

Is she accredited and where does she work?

She is an Accredited Counsellor with the British Association for Counselling and Psychotherapy (BACP) and is based in the United Kingdom.

What languages are available?

Sessions are offered in English.

Can I work with her from outside the UK?

She accepts international clients.

How much do sessions cost?

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

How do I start counselling with her?

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