Cara O'Kane

Cara O'Kane is a counsellor who helps people facing stress, anxiety, low self-esteem and depression. She supports those struggling with life changes, compassion fatigue and feelings of isolation and loneliness. Her approach is practical and respectful, aimed at helping people take the first small steps toward feeling better.

Cara has three years of professional counselling experience in the UK and nine years working in the field of mental health. She uses that background to tailor conversations and plans to each person's needs. Sessions focus on clear, manageable goals rather than long lectures or jargon.

Conversations with Cara are intended to be warm and direct. She aims to listen closely, reflect what she hears, and help people try small changes between meetings. Techniques may include looking at unhelpful thought patterns, practical problem solving, and simple mindfulness practices to ease day-to-day stress.

Cara values respect, sensitivity and compassion in every session. She works with people dealing with attachment and abandonment concerns, body image, communication and control issues, guilt and shame, and workplace pressures. The aim is to build skills that people can use after sessions end.

If someone is unsure where to begin, Cara encourages taking things at a gentle pace. She will co-create a plan that fits the person’s goals and circumstances, revising it as progress is made.

How her approaches fit into online therapy

Cara uses Client-Centred Therapy and Cognitive Behavioural Therapy as core parts of her practice. Client-Centred Therapy focuses on listening closely and helping people find their own answers through empathic reflection and support, which suits those wanting a gentle, exploratory space. Cognitive Behavioural Therapy looks at links between thoughts, feelings and actions and offers practical exercises to change unhelpful patterns, which can help with anxiety, low mood and self-esteem.

Finding the right mix of approaches is part of the work. Cara works collaboratively with each person to decide what feels most helpful based on their needs, goals and preferences. Plans are reviewed and adjusted as progress is made, so the approach can change over time.

Confirm the available session options before booking, as formats are not specified here. Online sessions can make fitting therapy around work and family commitments easier and can reduce travel time. They also allow shorter check-ins when needed, and can suit people who prefer to speak from their own everyday environment. Registered or accredited professionals can adapt exercises for remote sessions so people keep practising skills between meetings.