David Atlay, BACP

David Atlay is a counsellor and a registered member of the British Association for Counselling and Psychotherapy (BACP). He has a Postgraduate Diploma in Counselling and ten years of experience working with common life challenges. He routinely supports people dealing with stress, anxiety, low self-esteem, career concerns, depression and coping with change.

He describes his role as helping people build their capacity for change. Sessions are person-centred and aim to focus on what matters to the individual. He also uses practical, solution-focused ideas to test changes that can make day-to-day life easier.

In a session David listens without judgement. He helps clients identify what is causing their difficulties and then talks through straightforward strategies to reduce anxiety or break self-sabotaging patterns. He avoids clinical jargon and keeps conversations practical and concrete.

David also works with people facing relationship strain, grief, addiction issues, trauma and problems around eating and parenting. He lists blended family issues among his additional focus areas and can help people think through the practical tensions of stepfamily life and co-parenting arrangements.

People with caregiver stress, attachment concerns, or those navigating divorce and separation may find the approach useful. He draws on Cognitive Behavioral Therapy alongside person-centred work to test new behaviours and adjust thinking habits.

Sessions are straightforward and goal-oriented when needed, and may also include open, exploratory talking when that feels more useful. The emphasis is on usable steps people can try between sessions.