Registration on file

Sharon McHugh, BACP

Sharon McHugh is a counsellor with seven years' experience helping people recover from anxiety and trauma linked to difficult upbringings.

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About Sharon

Sharon McHugh is a counsellor with seven years' experience helping people recover from anxiety and trauma linked to difficult upbringings. She aims to create a space where clients lead the conversation and decide what to bring to each session. Sessions start with a discussion of goals and a simple plan tailored to the person's needs.

Her style is open and empathic. She listens carefully and asks gentle questions to better understand life from the client's perspective.

Background and approach

That helps both of them make sense of painful patterns and identify practical next steps. Sharon has worked in independent practice and in external agencies. She has supported people who developed coping strategies to survive environments where they could not be themselves.

Over time those strategies can cause low self esteem, people-pleasing or a sense of emptiness, and Sharon focuses on helping clients notice those patterns and try different ways of responding. Her training includes an Integrative Counselling Level 4 qualification, a Cognitive Behaviour Therapist Level 5 qualification, and a diploma in Hypnotherapy and Psychotherapy.

She also keeps up to date with ongoing professional development guided by the British Association for Counsellors and Psychotherapists (BACP). In sessions she may combine talking, practical exercises and focused questioning. The work is collaborative and paced to what the client can manage, with space to explore feelings, build self-awareness and practise new coping strategies.

Details from the counsellor's public professional profile · registration number listed

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Registration

Body	Registration number	Expires
BACP	376880	February 2027

Registration details are as listed on the counsellor's public profile. You can check any number with the registering body.

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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 Sharon lists on their public professional profile, in their own terms.

Ways of working Sharon names

Naming an approach is not evidence of training in it. This directory copies what each counsellor lists and does not check training records.

Therapeutic approaches for online counselling and change

Client-Centred Therapy puts your experience at the heart of the work and focuses on listening, empathy and your own priorities. It helps when you want to be heard and to explore feelings at your own pace. Cognitive Behavioural Therapy, or CBT, looks at patterns of thought and behaviour and teaches practical techniques to reduce anxiety, manage low mood and tackle unhelpful thinking. Dialectical Behaviour Therapy, or DBT, offers skills for regulating intense emotions, improving relationships and coping with strong urges or impulsivity.

Choosing the right approach is part of the therapy journey. Sharon works collaboratively to decide which methods fit best for a person's goals, needs and preferences. That may mean blending elements from different approaches and adjusting the plan as progress is made.

Online therapy here can take place by video call, phone, live chat or text-based messaging. Video calls are useful for face-to-face discussion and learning practical techniques. Phone sessions can be easier when bandwidth is limited or for a shorter check-in. Live chat and messaging suit people who prefer to write, need flexible timing or want ongoing written support between sessions. These options make it easier to fit counselling around work, family and day-to-day life while keeping the pace that suits the individual.

Frequently asked

What kinds of problems does Sharon help with?

Sharon works with stress, anxiety, trauma and abuse, grief, life changes, ADHD, addictions and relationship or intimacy-related issues among other concerns listed on her profile.

What is Sharon's therapeutic style?

Her approach is client-centred and empathic, with practical elements from cognitive behavioural and solution-focused work when useful.

How long has she been practising?

She has seven years of experience working as a counsellor in independent practice and in external agencies.

Where is Sharon based and which professional body is referenced?

She practises in the United Kingdom and follows guidance from the British Association for Counsellors and Psychotherapists (BACP).

Which languages are sessions offered in?

Sessions are offered in English and international clients are not currently accepted.

What session formats are available?

Sharon offers video calls, phone sessions, live chat and text-based messaging to suit different preferences and schedules.

How much do sessions cost?

Cost varies with location and therapist availability; sessions use a subscription model that can be cancelled at any time.

How do I begin working with Sharon?

Use the Start Therapy button, complete a short matching questionnaire and then schedule according to therapist availability.