Counsellor profile
Sharon McHugh, BACP
Counsellor - Anxiety and trauma
See online counselling options- Client-Centred Therapy
- Cognitive Behavioural Therapy
- Hypnotherapy
About Sharon
Counsellor Sharon McHugh is a British Association for Counsellors and Psychotherapists (BACP) member with seven years' experience. She works with people facing anxiety, trauma, relationship and addiction-related concerns. Sharon presents herself as a counsellor who offers a space led by the client to talk about difficult upbringing, coping strategies and low self-esteem.
Sharon asks about goals in the first session and makes a plan with the person she sees. Sessions are led by the client and Sharon will ask questions to help make sense of what is happening. She aims to understand each person's life from their point of view so adjustments can be explored together.
Her practice draws on client-centred ways of working alongside cognitive behavioural ideas and dialectical behaviour methods. She also uses hypnotherapy and solution-focused techniques where these fit the person's aims. This mix is used to look at thoughts, feelings and patterns that keep problems in place.
Sharon has worked in private practice and with external agencies. Much of her work has been with people who grew up where it was not safe to be themselves. That background can leave patterns such as people-pleasing, low self-esteem or a sense of emptiness. She helps people notice those patterns and consider different options for change.
Her training includes an Integrative Counselling Level 4 qualification, Cognitive Behaviour Therapy (CBT) at Level 5 and a diploma in Hypnotherapy and Psychotherapy. She keeps her skills up to date through ongoing courses in line with BACP ethics.
Using client-centred and structured approaches online
Client-centred work focuses on the person's own concerns and priorities. The counsellor listens without steering the conversation and asks questions to help the person describe their experience. This approach helps when someone needs space to talk about a difficult upbringing, identity or relationships.Cognitive Behavioural Therapy, or CBT, looks at the links between thoughts, feelings and behaviours. It uses practical exercises and experiments to test unhelpful beliefs and build different responses. CBT is often used for anxiety, panic, low mood and sleep problems.
Dialectical Behaviour Therapy, DBT, emphasises skills for managing strong emotions and improving distress tolerance. It can be useful when impulsivity, self-criticism or relationship patterns are causing regular difficulty.
Finding the right approach is usually collaborative. Sharon will work with the person to decide which methods to try, based on their goals and preferences. The plan can change as progress is reviewed, and different techniques may be used at different stages.
The original profile does not list specific online session formats. Please confirm the available options before booking. Online work can make it easier to fit sessions into a busy week, reduce travel, or allow a shorter check-in when time is limited. Registered or accredited professionals can adapt exercises and homework for remote sessions so the work can continue alongside everyday life.
Areas of expertise
Also works with
Additional focus areas
Therapeutic approaches
Experience
7+ years
Listed in
United Kingdom
Languages
English
Frequently asked questions
What concerns does she commonly help with?
She works with stress, anxiety, trauma and abuse, grief, addictions, relationship and intimacy issues, sleep problems, low self-esteem and depression, among other concerns listed on her profile.
What is her therapeutic style?
Her approach is client-centred with elements of CBT, DBT, hypnotherapy and solution-focused work. She lets sessions be led by the client while asking questions to help make sense of issues.
How much experience does she have?
She has seven years' experience working as a counsellor in private practice and external agencies.
Which professional body is she a member of and where is she based?
She is listed with the British Association for Counsellors and Psychotherapists (BACP) and practises in the United Kingdom.
In which language are sessions held?
Sessions are offered in English.
Can people outside the UK work with her?
She does not accept international clients at this time.
What session formats are available?
The original profile does not specify session formats. Please confirm the current session options with Sharon before booking.
How are fees and getting started arranged?
Costs vary with location and sessions use a subscription that can be cancelled at any time. To begin, use the See online counselling options button, complete the 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.