David Baker

David Baker is a counsellor with more than a decade of experience. He holds registration with the British Association for Counselling and Psychotherapy, BACP, and offers therapy from a person-centred stance. He aims to create a calm, non-judgemental space where people can talk about difficult emotions and find practical ways forward.

He trained in person-centred psychotherapy at Warwick University and has additional study in transactional analysis and existential approaches. Over 12 years he has worked in private practice and in the voluntary sector, including roles with a major UK mental health charity and a leading bereavement service. These roles shaped his work with loss, trauma and long-term emotional difficulties.

Sessions focus on understanding what is causing distress now and finding manageable steps to change things. He uses a pluralistic approach, which means he draws on different methods to match each person’s needs. This can include exploring attachment patterns, addressing unhelpful thoughts, or looking at relationship dynamics.

People come to him for a wide range of concerns, such as anxiety, depression, grief, addiction, relationship and intimacy issues, parenting strains and anger. He also supports those facing major life changes, work stress and compassion fatigue.

He offers online and telephone counselling and works with people who live in the United Kingdom as well as international clients. To start, clients complete a short matching questionnaire and then schedule sessions according to the therapist’s availability.

How therapeutic approaches translate to online work

Attachment-based work looks at how early relationships shape current emotions and close connections; online sessions can help people notice patterns that affect anger, trust and intimacy. Client-centred therapy focuses on listening, acceptance and helping the person find their own solutions; it suits people who want a non-directive, supportive space to talk things through. Cognitive Behavioural Therapy, or CBT, concentrates on spotting unhelpful thoughts and testing new behaviours; it is often used for anxiety, low mood and anger management.

Finding the right approach is part of the process. The therapist will work collaboratively to decide which methods suit a person's goals, preferences and day-to-day life. That means discussing options together and adjusting the approach as therapy progresses.

Practical benefits of online and telephone counselling include easier fitting of sessions around work and family commitments, and the ability to meet without travel time. Different formats suit different needs - for example, shorter telephone check-ins can work when time is limited, while longer online sessions allow deeper conversation. Confirm the current session options before booking to make sure they fit into your routine.