Counsellor profile
James Barker, BACP
Counsellor - LGBT and relationship concerns
See online counselling options- Client-Centred Therapy
- Psychodynamic work
- Supports kink topics
About James
Counsellor James Barker is a BACP member with 12 years of experience. He works in the United Kingdom and helps people with LGBT concerns, relationship issues, grief and loss, anxiety and stress, addictions, and other life changes.
James adopts a straightforward, person-centred way of working. He treats the client as the expert on their own life and looks for strengths to draw on. Sessions focus on talking things through, noticing patterns, and finding practical steps forward.
His approach also draws on psychodynamic and Jungian ideas. That means he pays attention to how past experiences and personal symbols shape feelings now. Those perspectives can be useful for long-standing patterns, trauma and themes that keep repeating.
Existential thinking is part of his work too. This helps when people face questions about meaning, identity, or difficult choices. It can be useful for issues around gender, sexuality, fatherhood concerns, or major life transitions.
James has worked with a wide range of concerns including body image, eating issues, BDSM and kink topics, sexual assault and abuse, HIV and related worries, self-harm, and prejudice or discrimination. He accepts international enquiries and offers sessions in English.
To begin, people complete a short matching questionnaire and then schedule a first session. Sessions use a subscription model that can be cancelled at any time, and fees vary with location.
Therapeutic approaches used in online counselling
Client-Centred Therapy focuses on listening and understanding the person's own perspective. The counsellor follows what the person brings, reflects their thoughts and feelings, and supports them to make their own decisions. This approach often helps with relationship issues, stress and grief.Psychodynamic and Jungian ideas look at how past experiences, patterns and personal symbols affect life now. These perspectives can help when someone wants to understand repeated patterns, trauma reactions, or deep-rooted feelings about identity and sexuality.
Finding the right approach is part of the work. The counsellor will discuss goals and preferences and decide together what methods to use. That conversation is collaborative and can change as therapy progresses.
Confirm the available session formats before booking, because the profile does not list specific options. Online work can make it easier to fit counselling into a busy week, save travel time and allow shorter check-ins when needed. Different formats suit different people for practical reasons such as quieter surroundings, lower bandwidth needs or fitting a session into a lunch break. Registered or accredited professionals can explain which format would suit your circumstances during the first contact.
Areas of expertise
Primary focus
Also works with
Additional focus areas
Therapeutic approaches
Experience
12+ years
Listed in
United Kingdom
Languages
English
Frequently asked questions
What kinds of issues does he help with?
He helps people with LGBT concerns, relationship problems, grief, stress, anxiety and addictions. He also works with topics such as body image, eating issues and sexuality.
What is his therapeutic style?
He uses a client-centred approach that treats the person as the expert on their life. He also draws on psychodynamic and Jungian thinking and some existential ideas.
How much experience does he have?
He has 12 years of professional experience working with a range of concerns and life changes.
Which professional body is he a member of?
He is a member of the British Association for Counselling and Psychotherapy, shown as BACP.
Which languages are sessions offered in?
Sessions are offered in English and international enquiries are accepted.
What session formats are available?
Please confirm the current session options before booking, as specific formats are not listed in the profile.
How are sessions paid for and what do they cost?
Sessions use a subscription that can be cancelled at any time and fees vary with location.
How do I start work with him?
Select the See online counselling options button, complete a short matching questionnaire, and schedule a first session.
Details come from information the counsellor supplied to BetterHelp. A membership or registration can be checked on the professional body's own register.
Online counselling is not emergency care. In an emergency call 999, or see the help numbers.