Michelle Preston, BACP

Michelle Preston is a counsellor practising in the United Kingdom. She works with people who are struggling with stress, anxiety, grief, low self-esteem and depression. Michelle focuses on everyday thoughts and habits that affect mood and motivation, and she offers a calm space to talk through difficult feelings.

She draws on a range of familiar approaches including Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) and Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT). Sessions are conversational and practical, with attention to the small habits and thought patterns that shape daily life. Michelle aims to help people notice what keeps them stuck and try new ways of responding.

Michelle also uses attachment-based ideas to look at how relationships and early experiences can influence current reactions. Dialectical Behaviour Therapy (DBT) skills appear in her work when people need tools for managing intense emotions. The overall style is client-centred and respectful, with the person’s goals guiding what happens in sessions.

She has five years of professional experience and is registered with the British Association for Counselling and Psychotherapy, BACP. Michelle supports people taking early steps towards change and those facing longer-term struggles. She encourages practical experiments between sessions and builds on small wins.

People find the approach useful when life changes feel overwhelming or when anxiety and low mood get in the way of everyday living. Michelle invites prospective clients to reflect on what they want to change and to take a small next step towards arranging a first meeting.

Using evidence-based approaches in online counselling

Acceptance and Commitment Therapy, ACT, helps people notice the thoughts and feelings that hold them back and focus on actions that match their values. It is useful for anxiety, low mood and situations where people want more meaning in daily life. Cognitive Behavioral Therapy, CBT, looks at links between thoughts, feelings and behaviours and uses practical exercises to change unhelpful patterns; it often helps with anxiety, worry and depression. Attachment-Based Therapy explores how early relationship experiences influence current reactions and can help people understand patterns in their close relationships.

Finding the right way of working is a shared task. The therapist will talk with the client about their goals, preferences and what feels most helpful. Together they look at which approach or combination of approaches fits the person’s needs, and they adapt methods as progress is reviewed.

Confirm the exact session options before booking, as formats are not specified here. Online work can make it easier to fit therapy around work and family routines, reduce travel time and allow shorter check-in sessions when needed. Some people prefer talking without video, while others choose a full-length session when they need more space. Discussing practical arrangements at the first meeting helps shape sessions so they fit into everyday life.