Catherine Johnston

Catherine Johnston is a counsellor who uses a client-centred approach to help people manage stress, anxiety and depression. She works in a straightforward way and aims to make the room feel like a place to talk things through without judgement. Catherine holds BACP registration and has five years of professional experience in the UK.

She helps people tackle issues such as trauma and abuse, low self-esteem, motivation problems and confidence. Other areas she supports include addictions, anger, grief and the practical strains of life and career changes. Isolation and loneliness are also listed among her focus areas.

Catherine uses practical conversations to identify what is most important to each person. She draws on cognitive behavioural ideas to look at patterns of thinking and behaviour that keep problems going. She also uses client-centred skills to follow what the person needs in the moment.

Her approach is collaborative and down-to-earth. Sessions are paced to suit the person and often focus on small, achievable steps. The work aims to build confidence and routines that make daily life feel more manageable.

For someone unsure about starting, Catherine encourages taking one small step at a time. The first meeting is used to agree goals and the way forward. From there she helps people plan realistic changes and notices progress along the way.

How Catherine's approaches work online

Client-Centred Therapy focuses on understanding the person's experience and responding with empathy and respect. It helps when someone needs to feel heard and to explore what matters to them at their own pace. Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT) looks at links between thoughts, feelings and actions and often uses short practical exercises to change unhelpful patterns; this can be useful for anxiety, low mood and stress. Existential Therapy pays attention to questions about meaning, choice and responsibility and can help people facing life changes or identity concerns.

Finding the right approach is part of the work. Catherine aims to discuss different ways of working and to decide together what fits best with the person's goals and preferences. She treats the process as collaborative and adjusts methods as the work progresses.

Session formats are not specified in the biography, so please confirm current options before booking. Online therapy can make sessions easier to fit into a busy week, reduce travel time and allow shorter check-in meetings when needed. It also supports continuing work through life changes and can make it simpler to maintain momentum between sessions.