Michael Purvis

Michael Purvis is a counsellor with three years of professional experience and a BACP accreditation. He believes counselling can help people process difficult experiences and make practical changes. He writes simply and directly to help people feel understood and steady before they book. Michael focuses on anxiety-related issues such as obsessive-compulsive patterns, panic attacks, phobias, stress and burnout, and trouble building or keeping relationships. He also helps with low mood and depression linked to life changes like retirement, redundancy or long-term illness. Michael offers coaching-style support for goal setting across work, health and relationships. In sessions he aims to make things clear and manageable. Conversations look at thoughts, feelings and the behaviours that follow. He helps clients notice patterns and try new ways of coping that suit their life. Practical steps and homework are used when helpful. Michael draws on a mix of approaches to match each person’s needs. These include Acceptance and Commitment Therapy, Cognitive Behavioural Therapy, attachment-based work and client-centred conversation. He adjusts the emphasis depending on whether someone needs practical tools, emotional exploration or clearer boundaries. People who find it hard to trust themselves or who feel stuck after big life changes often find his style useful. He takes time to set goals and reviews progress together. The aim is steady, sustainable change rather than quick fixes.

How Michael’s approaches translate to online therapy

Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT) encourages people to notice difficult thoughts and feelings without being driven by them, then choose actions that match their values. It can help with anxiety, low mood and motivation. Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT) focuses on how thoughts, feelings and behaviours link together and offers practical exercises to change unhelpful patterns. It is often used for panic, phobias and stress. Attachment-Based Therapy looks at how early relationships shape current patterns and helps people build more secure ways of relating and expressing needs. Choosing an approach is a collaborative process. The therapist will work with the client to identify goals, try different techniques and agree what feels most useful. Sessions can blend methods and will be adjusted as progress is made. Please confirm current session options before booking, as formats are not specified here. Online work can make it easier to fit therapy into a busy week, reduce travel time and allow shorter check-ins when needed. It also makes it possible to keep momentum between sessions with practical exercises and reflections that fit into everyday life.