- Person-centred approach
- Trauma-informed care
- CBT and mindfulness
About Shirley
Shirley Banton is a BACP-registered counsellor in the United Kingdom with 11 years' experience. She works with people facing stress, anxiety, relationship and family difficulties, trauma and abuse, and life changes. Shirley also supports those dealing with addiction, grief, intimacy issues, eating and sleeping problems, parenting strains, anger, self-esteem, career questions, bipolar and depression, ADHD and related concerns.
Her way of working comes from a person-centred foundation combined with trauma-informed practice. Sessions are collaborative and paced to the client's needs. She encourages reflection and helps people notice patterns in relationships and behaviour.
Shirley draws on several therapeutic approaches rather than one single method. She uses cognitive and mindfulness tools to manage difficult thoughts and feelings. Psychodynamic ideas help uncover recurring relational themes. Solution-focused techniques support practical steps when change is wanted.
She has particular experience supporting people affected by domestic and relational abuse, including coercive control and long-term relational trauma. Her background in further and higher education also shapes how she helps students, educators and young adults handle anxiety, burnout and identity questions.
People who come to Shirley often feel overwhelmed, stuck or disconnected from themselves. In sessions she aims to help them understand patterns, rebuild confidence and practice clearer boundaries. She offers online work to make access easier for those who need it.
How Shirley uses therapeutic approaches in online sessions
Client-Centred Therapy focuses on listening and responding to the person's experience. It gives the client space to lead the conversation while the counsellor reflects and clarifies what matters most. This approach helps when someone feels uncertain about their direction or needs time to make sense of things.Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT) targets patterns of thinking and behaviour that maintain distress. In practice this means identifying unhelpful thoughts, testing them, and trying new actions to see what helps. CBT is useful for anxiety, low mood and practical life changes.
Mindfulness Therapy teaches simple attention and breathing practices to reduce reactivity and improve focus. These techniques can be used between sessions to manage stress and improve sleep or concentration.
Finding the right mix of approaches is part of the work. The therapist discusses options with the client and adapts methods according to the person's needs, goals and preferences. This is a collaborative decision made over the first sessions rather than imposed at once.
The biography notes she offers online therapy, which can make it easier to fit sessions into busy lives. Before booking, confirm which online session formats are currently offered. Online work can reduce travel time, allow shorter check-ins, and make it simpler to schedule sessions around work or family commitments.
Areas of expertise
Primary focus
Also works with
Additional focus areas
Therapeutic approaches
Experience
11+ years
Listed in
United Kingdom
Languages
English
Frequently asked questions
What kinds of problems does she help with?
She works with stress, anxiety, relationship and family difficulties, trauma and abuse, and life changes, plus areas like addiction, grief, intimacy, eating and sleeping problems.
How would she approach feeling stuck or directionless?
Work is collaborative and person-centred, using reflection and practical techniques such as solution-focused steps and CBT-style tools to explore options and small behavioural changes.
What experience does she bring to complex relational issues?
She has 11 years' experience and specific expertise supporting survivors of domestic and relational abuse, including coercive control and long-term trauma.
What professional registration does she hold and where is she based?
She is registered with the British Association for Counselling and Psychotherapy (BACP) and practices in the United Kingdom.
Can sessions be conducted in other languages or internationally?
Sessions are offered in English and she accepts international clients.
What session formats are available?
The biography states she offers online therapy. Please confirm current session formats and options before booking.
How are costs and payment structured?
Cost varies with location; sessions use a subscription that can be cancelled at any time.
How do I begin if I want to work with her?
Choose the See online therapy options button, complete a short matching questionnaire, and schedule a first session.
Online talk therapy is not emergency care. If you are in danger, use the crisis numbers.