Paul Dent, BACP

Paul Dent is a counsellor based in the United Kingdom with 12 years of experience. He helps people who are struggling with stress and anxiety, addictions, trauma and abuse, relationship and intimacy issues, and other life challenges. He works with a wide range of concerns including grief, sleep and eating problems, ADHD, bipolar and depression, and career or parenting pressures.

Paul believes people know their own story and brings a down-to-earth, respectful attitude to sessions. He sets practical goals with clients and checks progress regularly so people can see what is changing. Sessions aim to be collaborative, with the client steering pace and focus.

His way of working draws on client-centred practice and cognitive behavioural ideas to look at thoughts and everyday habits. He also uses existential questions to help people find meaning, and motivational interviewing to support change. The Gottman Method informs his approach to relationship work.

Appointments are arranged so clients can fit therapy into everyday life. Paul encourages straightforward conversation about what is and isn’t working. He will help people build new habits, try different ways of thinking, and practice skills between sessions.

People who choose Paul generally want clear aims and a practical, respectful relationship with their counsellor. He supports international clients and works in English. To start, clients follow the platform process to match and schedule a first appointment.

How his approaches translate to online work

Client-Centred Therapy focuses on listening and responding to the person in front of the counsellor. It is about understanding a person’s experience and helping them feel heard, which can make it easier to find your own solutions. Cognitive Behavioural Therapy, or CBT, looks at links between thoughts, feelings and actions and teaches practical ways to change unhelpful patterns that affect everyday habits and mood.

Finding the right approach is something to do together. Paul will discuss your goals, preferences and what feels most useful, then try methods that match those aims. Sessions can shift over time as needs and priorities change, and he reviews goals regularly with each person.

Confirm the session formats before booking so you know what is available. Online work can make it easier to fit counselling into a busy life by removing travel and allowing appointments during lunch breaks or between commitments. It also offers options like shorter check-ins or sessions without video if that helps with bandwidth or concentration. Registered or accredited professionals, including therapists who use these approaches, often find online sessions useful for continuing work when in-person meetings are difficult.