Madeleine Heffernan, BACP

Counsellor - stress and relationships

CBT approaches
Psychodynamic work
Compassion focus

About Madeleine

Madeleine Heffernan is a counsellor and a member of the British Association for Counselling and Psychotherapy (BACP) with eight years' experience. She works with people in the United Kingdom on stress, anxiety, relationship and family concerns, trauma and abuse, depression, addictions, grief and related issues.

Madeleine offers practical talking therapy that draws on a few different models. She uses psychodynamic ideas to look at how past experiences shape present feelings. She also uses cognitive behavioural ideas to notice unhelpful thoughts and try alternative ways of thinking and behaving.

Sessions can include listening, exploring patterns, and making sense of inner experience and life history. She sometimes suggests short tasks to try between sessions and supports people in developing a kinder inner dialogue. The biography also mentions work with compassion-focused approaches and occasional use of Emotional Freedom Technique.

Madeleine answers messages daily and offers live sessions on set days. The profile notes video, phone or instant messaging sessions are part of how she works. International clients are not accepted; services are provided in English within the United Kingdom.

People contacting her complete a short matching questionnaire to arrange a first session. Costs vary with location and sessions use a subscription model that can be cancelled at any time. Prospective clients should check the current session options before booking to confirm the best fit.

Therapeutic approaches and online counselling

Attachment-based work looks at how early relationships influence current bonds and feelings. It can help with relationship difficulties, attachment issues and fears of abandonment. Cognitive Behavioural Therapy, or CBT, focuses on identifying and changing unhelpful thoughts and behaviours. It is often used for anxiety, low mood and coping with stress. Emotionally-Focused Therapy centres on feelings within relationships and helps people name, express and respond differently to emotions to improve connection.

Finding the right approach is part of the work. The therapist will discuss goals, preferences and what has helped or not helped before. Together they decide which methods to try and review progress as therapy continues.

The profile notes that Madeleine offers live sessions and that video, phone or instant messaging sessions have been used. If you want to use online counselling, confirm which formats are available before booking. Online sessions can make it easier to fit therapy around work and family life, allow a shorter check-in when needed, and remove travel time so appointments are simpler to attend.

Areas of expertise

Primary focus

Stress, AnxietyRelationship issuesFamily conflictsTrauma and abuse Depression

Also works with

Addictions LGBT Grief Intimacy-related issuesEating disordersParenting issuesAnger managementCareer difficultiesCoping with life changes Compassion fatigue ADHD

Additional focus areas

AbandonmentAging and geriatric issuesAttachment issuesAvoidant personalityBlended family issues Body image Caregiver issues and stress Chronic pain, illness, and disabilityCodependencyCommitment issues Communication problems Control issuesDependent personalityDissociationDivorce and separation Domestic violenceEating and food-related issuesEmptinessFamily of origin issuesFamily problemsFirst responder issuesForgiveness Guilt and shameImpulsivityIsolation / loneliness Jealousy Life purpose Men's issues Midlife crisis Money and financial issues Mood disorders Obsessions, compulsions, and OCD Panic disorder and panic attacks Phobias Post-traumatic stress Pregnancy and childbirthSeasonal Affective Disorder (SAD)Self-loveSexual dysfunctionSexualitySocial anxiety and phobiaTraumatic brain injuryWomen's issues Workplace issues

Therapeutic approaches

Attachment-Based TherapyCognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT)Emotionally-Focused Therapy (EFT)Mindfulness TherapyPsychodynamic TherapySolution-Focused TherapyTrauma-Focused Therapy

Experience

8+ years

Listed in

United Kingdom

Languages

English

Frequently asked questions

What sorts of problems does she help with?

She helps people with stress, anxiety, relationship and family issues, trauma and abuse, depression, addictions and grief among other concerns.

What is her style of therapy?

She uses a mix of talking approaches. Work often includes listening, exploring patterns and practical tasks to try between sessions.

How much experience does she have?

She has eight years' experience working with clients on a range of emotional and relational problems.

Which professional body is she a member of?

She is listed with the British Association for Counselling and Psychotherapy, shown as BACP.

Which languages are sessions offered in?

Sessions are offered in English only.

Will she work with clients outside the UK?

She does not accept international clients at this time.

What session formats does she use?

The profile states video, phone and instant messaging sessions are used. Confirm current session options before booking.

How do I begin and what does it cost?

Start by selecting the See online counselling options button and completing a short matching questionnaire, then schedule a first session. Cost varies with location and sessions use a subscription that can be cancelled at any time.

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.

Back to all counsellors