Ilaria Calussi, BACP
Ilaria Calussi is a counsellor with 25 years of practice offering grounded, practical support for people dealing with relationships, family stresses, parenting and trauma.
About Ilaria
Ilaria Calussi is a counsellor with 25 years of practice offering grounded, practical support for people dealing with relationships, family stresses, parenting and trauma. They write plainly and listen closely, helping people name what feels hard and find workable next steps. Sessions are offered in English and Italian and Ilaria accepts international clients.
With a background across the NHS, educational settings and charities, Ilaria draws on long experience in mental health services and community support.
Background and approach
This includes roles in school-based services, social care teams and work at the National Autism Unit within the NHS. They also lecture in psychology and counselling at the Open University and run a independent practice. Their approach focuses on connection and on how patterns formed in early relationships affect current life.
Ilaria uses attachment-based ideas to look at bonds and Emotionally-Focused Therapy to help people name and respond to feelings. Cognitive Behavioural Therapy techniques are used when practical steps can reduce worry and change unhelpful habits. Sessions aim to be collaborative and tailored.
The counsellor listens first, then suggests ways to practise new interactions, manage difficult thoughts, or rehearse conversations. Creativity and plain language are common in sessions, and practical tools are shared for use between meetings. Ilaria’s personal experience of solo parenting, neurodivergence and queer relationships informs a down-to-earth style.
They welcome people who want straightforward, steady support as they work through painful events, changes in relationships, or ongoing stress. They hold registration with the British Association for Counselling and Psychotherapy, listed as BACP, and combine that with multi-sector experience to offer varied perspectives and practical help.
Details from the counsellor's public professional profile · registration number listed
← Browse all counsellorsRegistration
| Body | Registration number | Expires |
|---|---|---|
| BACP | 25320 | September 2026 |
Registration details are as listed on the counsellor's public profile. You can check any number with the registering body.
Sessions and payment
Sessions are held online through our partner platform, by video, phone or messaging depending on the counsellor.
Cost Costs are shown on the partner platform before you commit. If cost is a concern, ask about reduced-fee options.
Focus areas and approaches
Everything Ilaria lists on their public professional profile, in their own terms.
- Relationship issues
- Family conflicts
- Trauma and abuse
- Parenting issues
- ADHD
- Abandonment
- Adoption and foster care
- Attachment issues
- Autism and Asperger Syndrome
- Avoidant personality
- Blended family issues
- Caregiver issues and stress
- Chronic pain, illness, and disability
- Codependency
- Communication problems
- Control issues
- Dissociation
- Divorce and separation
- Domestic violence
- Emptiness
- Family of origin issues
- Family problems
- Fatherhood issues
- Forgiveness
- Guilt and shame
- Immigration issues
- Isolation / loneliness
- Jealousy
- Life purpose
- Midlife crisis
- Mood disorders
- Multicultural concerns
- Obsessions, compulsions, and OCD
- Panic disorder and panic attacks
- Polyamory / non-monogamous relationships
- Postpartum depression
- Post-traumatic stress
- Pregnancy and childbirth
- Prejudice and discrimination
- Self-harm
- Self-love
- Sexual assault and abuse
- Sexuality
- Social anxiety and phobia
- Somatization
- Women's issues
- Workplace issues
- Young adult issues
Ways of working Ilaria names
- Attachment-Based Therapy
- Client-Centred Therapy
- Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT)
- Emotionally-Focused Therapy (EFT)
- Gottman Method
- Narrative Therapy
- Solution-Focused Therapy
- Somatic Therapy
- Trauma-Focused Therapy
- Systemic Therapy
Naming an approach is not evidence of training in it. This directory copies what each counsellor lists and does not check training records.
How therapeutic approaches translate to online sessions
Attachment-Based Therapy focuses on how early bonds shape current relationships. Online work using attachment ideas looks at interaction patterns and emotional responses, helping people notice how they relate and try new ways of connecting. Emotionally-Focused Therapy centres on identifying and working with core emotions in relationships. In online sessions this often means naming feelings, tracking interaction cycles, and practising different responses to reduce distress. Cognitive Behavioural Therapy, or CBT, offers practical techniques to change unhelpful thoughts and behaviours; online CBT sessions commonly use short experiments, thought records and homework to support change.Choosing the right approach is a shared process. The therapist will listen to what matters to the person, discuss different methods, and agree on steps together. Many people find a mix of approaches works best, and the counsellor adapts methods to fit each person’s goals and preferences.
Online formats include video calls, phone sessions, live chat and text-based messaging, giving flexibility to fit therapy around work, family or other commitments. Video is useful for face-to-face conversation and exercises, phone calls suit lower bandwidth or when being on camera isn’t wanted, and chat or messaging can work for shorter check-ins or ongoing support between sessions. These options make it easier to keep regular contact and to use chosen therapeutic tools from wherever someone is located.
Frequently asked
What kinds of concerns does Ilaria help with?
Ilaria supports people facing relationship difficulties, family strains, parenting challenges, trauma and abuse, and ADHD-related concerns. Additional focus areas include attachment issues, communication problems, grief around separation, and chronic health impacts.
What is the therapeutic style in sessions?
The approach is relational and practical. Sessions often combine listening, emotional work and concrete exercises such as behaviour experiments or communication practice.
How much experience does the counsellor have?
The counsellor has 25 years of experience working in the NHS, schools and charitable services, alongside independent practice and university teaching.
What credentials and location are relevant?
Ilaria is listed with the British Association for Counselling and Psychotherapy, shown as BACP, and practises from the United Kingdom.
Are sessions offered in other languages or to overseas clients?
Sessions are offered in English and Italian, and international clients are accepted.
Which session formats are available?
Work can be done by video call, phone, live chat or text-based messaging depending on what suits the person.
How are fees and payments handled?
Cost varies by location and therapist availability. Therapy uses a subscription model that can be cancelled at any time.
What should I do to begin therapy?
Start by selecting the Start Therapy button, complete a short matching questionnaire, and then schedule sessions according to the therapist’s availability.