Charlotte Houghton, BACP

Charlotte Houghton is a counsellor who combines person-centred practice with Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT) to support people facing stress, anxiety, grief, low self-esteem, depression, relationship and family difficulties, trauma and abuse, parenting challenges, anger, career questions, ADHD, and other life transitions. She holds BACP credentials, indicating membership of the British Association for Counselling and Psychotherapy, and brings four years of professional experience to her work.

She uses clear, direct language and a pragmatic style that helps clients understand therapeutic ideas quickly. Charlotte brings her personality into sessions, including warmth, honesty and a touch of appropriate humour. She often employs visual images and metaphors to make internal experiences more tangible - for example, noticing when someone is harsh on themselves and describing that sensation as a tiny boxer repeatedly striking the mind - to help people see patterns and begin to change them.

Charlotte draws on experience supporting people bereaved by suicide or sudden death, where a combination of kindness, acceptance and straightforward questioning can surface hidden feelings and help people move toward acceptance of their changed lives. She enjoys exploring how adult reactions, behaviours and emotions connect to childhood experiences, because increased awareness can open pathways for different responses in the present.

Her background includes working with raw grief in the early weeks after sudden loss, and supporting people living with long-term conditions such as multiple sclerosis. She has lived experience of a family member with autism and ADHD, and a particular interest in parenting and the journey to parenthood. Charlotte has worked with people from many countries and with diverse cultural and religious backgrounds, with clients for whom English is not a first language, and with neurodivergent, LGBTQIA+ and non-binary adults. She treats each person as an individual and emphasizes respect, non-judgement and openness in the counselling relationship.

Charlotte offers a flexible approach, replying to emails and sharing worksheets outside scheduled sessions when helpful, particularly for email-only clients. She makes some evening sessions available from 7pm a few nights a week and has daytime appointments on Monday and Thursday. She is currently accepting clients in the United Kingdom and is ready to support and empower people who are taking the step toward therapy.