Counsellor profile
Melissa Foster, BACP
Counsellor - anxiety and relationships
See online counselling options- Person-centred approach
- CBT techniques
- Psychodynamic work
About Melissa
Counsellor Melissa Foster is a BACP member with five years' experience. She works with people in the United Kingdom on stress, anxiety, relationships, family issues, self-esteem, grief, parenting and changes at work or home.
Melissa uses a straightforward, person-centred way of working. She listens and helps clients make sense of feelings and patterns. Sessions can cover practical coping skills, thinking patterns, and how past experiences affect present behaviour.
Her work draws on several approaches. Cognitive behavioural techniques are used to spot and alter unhelpful thoughts and behaviours. Psychodynamic ideas are used to look at recurring patterns and underlying emotions. Solution-focused tools help set short-term goals and identify small, achievable changes.
Melissa trained to Level 5 in Psychotherapeutic Counselling and has practised for five years. The BACP listing is shown as her professional registration. She uses that background to follow professional and ethical guidance in her work.
Typical areas she addresses include relationship breakdown, communication problems, abandonment or attachment concerns, infertility and fertility-related stress, grief after loss, and career pressure. She also supports people dealing with blended family dynamics, fatherhood issues, or the emotional impact of a cancer diagnosis.
To begin, prospective clients use the site matching process to choose a counselling option and arrange a first session. Melissa works in English and does not take international clients at this time.
How Melissa uses approaches in online counselling
Client-centred therapy aims to give the client space to lead the conversation while the counsellor reflects and clarifies. It helps when people need to make sense of feelings or decide what matters most to them.Cognitive behavioural therapy (CBT) breaks down problems into thoughts, feelings and actions. It is useful for anxiety, stress and repeated unhelpful thinking because it offers clear techniques to change behaviours and test new ways of responding.
Psychodynamic work looks at patterns that repeat over time and how past relationships influence current ones. It can help identify long-standing themes such as attachment or avoidance that affect relationships and self-esteem.
Finding the right mix of approaches is part of the process. The counsellor will work with the client to agree what to try based on needs, goals and preference. This is a collaborative decision and can change as therapy progresses.
The original biography does not list specific session formats. Please confirm current session options before booking so you know whether sessions are by phone, video or another method. Online sessions can make it easier to fit counselling into a busy week, reduce travel time and allow for shorter check-ins where helpful. Registered or accredited professionals adapt their approach to suit everyday routines and practical constraints.
Areas of expertise
Primary focus
Also works with
Additional focus areas
Therapeutic approaches
Experience
5+ years
Listed in
United Kingdom
Languages
English
Frequently asked questions
What concerns does she commonly help with?
She supports people with stress, anxiety, relationship and family concerns, self-esteem, grief, parenting and coping with life changes.
What is her therapeutic style like?
Her style is person-centred and practical. She combines listening with techniques to change thinking and behaviour.
How much clinical experience does she have?
She has five years of experience working with individuals on mental health and wellbeing topics.
Which professional body is she a member of?
She is a registered member of the BACP, the British Association for Counselling and Psychotherapy.
Which languages are sessions offered in?
Sessions are offered in English only.
Can people outside the UK book sessions?
She does not accept international clients at this time.
How are sessions paid for and what do they cost?
Cost varies with location and sessions use a subscription model that can be cancelled at any time.
How do I start a first session?
Use the See online counselling options button, complete a short matching questionnaire, then schedule your 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.