Linda Austin, BACP

Linda Austin is a counsellor with a practical, straight-talking approach. She works in plain language and aims to give clear feedback when clients ask for it. She listens without judgement and treats the person in front of her as the expert on their life.

Linda has five years of experience. She has worked in the criminal justice system, domestic abuse services, and with drug and alcohol programmes. She also supports people dealing with anxiety, depression and everyday relationship difficulties.

Her way of working balances direct guidance with collaborative conversation. She offers honest reflections and will share relevant lived experience when it helps move the work forward. At the same time she centres the client’s priorities and choices in each session.

Linda uses approaches that encourage present-moment awareness and practical change. Mindfulness-based skills help with stress and ruminating thoughts, while solution-focused conversations aim to build small, achievable steps. Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT) ideas are used to clarify values and cope with difficult feelings.

She lists a wide range of concerns she supports, including relationship and parenting issues, grief, trauma and addictions, caregiver stress, and ageing and geriatric issues. Her practice also covers anger, self-esteem, eating and body image, ADHD, chronic illness and communication problems.

If you prefer straightforward discussion and practical options, Linda offers a blend of listening and direct feedback. Prospective clients are encouraged to begin by completing the site questionnaire and arranging an initial session to see if her style feels right.

Therapeutic approaches for online sessions

Linda integrates Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT) and Client-Centred Therapy into her work. ACT helps people notice painful thoughts and feelings without letting them dictate actions, and it focuses on living in line with what matters to each person. Client-Centred Therapy puts the client’s experience at the centre, with the counsellor offering empathic listening and non-judgemental support to help people find their own solutions.

She also draws on Mindfulness Therapy to teach simple awareness practices that reduce stress and overthinking. Mindfulness tools can be useful for managing anxiety, grief and ongoing physical health challenges by bringing attention back to the present and reducing reactivity.

Finding the right approach is part of the work together. The therapist will talk with each person about their goals and preferences, and recommend or combine methods that fit those needs. This is a collaborative process and can change as progress is made.

The original profile does not list specific session formats, so please confirm available options before booking. In general, online sessions can make it easier to fit therapy into a busy week, reduce travel time, and allow shorter check-ins when that suits your schedule. They also let people work on coping skills, values-driven goals and communication practice from a location that suits their daily routine.