Karen Bell

Karen Bell is a counsellor in the United Kingdom with 18 years of hands-on experience. She works in a person-centred way that keeps the client's experience at the centre of each session. Karen welcomes people from all backgrounds and identities and aims to offer a non-judgemental space for talking things through.

Before moving into private practice she worked in a GP surgery and supported people through trauma, self-harm and suicidal feelings. She also worked with an organisation offering trauma counselling and with Northumbria Police in occupational health, gaining experience with stress, anxiety and workplace-related trauma.

Karen often supports people dealing with grief, relationship difficulties, addictions and coping with life changes. She also helps those navigating issues such as ADHD, eating and sleeping problems, low self-esteem, anger, career stress and trauma from abuse. Concerns around narcissistic abuse and gaslighting are highlighted as areas she understands and addresses.

Her approach includes Attachment-Based Therapy, Client-Centred Therapy, Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT), Existential Therapy and Eye Movement Desensitisation and Reprocessing (EMDR). Sessions focus on the client's needs and on practical ways to manage distressing thoughts and feelings.

Karen is a member of the British Association for Counsellors and Psychotherapists - BACP. She invites people to describe their needs, including any neurodiverse needs or special interests, so sessions can be shaped around what helps them most.

How therapeutic approaches translate to online work

Attachment-Based Therapy focuses on patterns in close relationships and helps people understand how early connections affect current trust and intimacy. It can be useful for relationship difficulties, attachment issues and problems like abandonment or codependency.

Client-Centred Therapy prioritises the person's own perspective and pace. The counsellor offers non-judgemental listening and reflection to help the person explore feelings and make choices that fit their life.

Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT) looks at how thoughts, feelings and behaviours interact and teaches practical steps to change unhelpful patterns. It often helps with anxiety, depression, anger and coping with life changes.

Finding the right approach is part of the work together. The counsellor will discuss options with the client and try methods that match the client's goals, needs and preferences. That collaborative process helps shape which approaches are used as therapy progresses.

Please confirm current session formats before booking, as the biography does not list specific options here. Online therapy can make it easier to fit sessions into a busy week, reduce travel time and allow shorter check-ins when needed. Some people prefer video for face-to-face contact, while others use phone for lower bandwidth or chat for short updates; check which formats are available when you schedule.