- Person-Centred approach
- Cognitive behavioural work
- Mindfulness practice
About Shirley
Shirley Banton is a BACP-registered counsellor in the United Kingdom with 11 years' experience. She works with people facing stress, anxiety, relationship and family concerns, trauma and abuse, and a range of life changes. Her practice also covers addiction, grief, intimacy issues, sleep and eating problems, parenting strain, anger and self-esteem difficulties.
Shirley uses a person-centred foundation alongside other approaches to help people reflect and make sense of difficult patterns. Sessions move at the client's pace and focus on understanding feelings and relationships rather than quick fixes. She supports people who feel stuck, exhausted, or disconnected and who want to rebuild confidence and boundaries.
Her background includes long experience in education, which informs her work with people facing pressure, identity questions and transitions. She also has substantial experience supporting survivors of domestic violence and people affected by emotional and relational abuse, including coercive control and long-term relational trauma.
Shirley integrates approaches like cognitive behavioural and mindfulness techniques when useful, while keeping the client's goals central. She describes her style as honest and respectful, encouraging reflection without judgement. Practical coping tools and longer-term exploration are both available depending on what each person needs.
For people in blended households, she notes blended family issues among the concerns she addresses and can talk through loyalty conflicts, role changes and co-parenting stresses. To begin, clients complete a short matching questionnaire and then schedule a first session through the site's online options.
How her approaches work online
Shirley combines person-centred work with cognitive behavioural techniques and mindfulness practice. Person-centred work focuses on listening and exploring what matters to the client, helping them name feelings and patterns. CBT looks at thoughts and behaviours and introduces practical steps people can try between sessions to reduce anxiety or change unhelpful patterns. Mindfulness practice teaches simple attention and breathing skills to reduce stress and improve emotional regulation.Finding the right mix of methods is part of the collaboration. Shirley will discuss goals and preferences and help choose which approaches to emphasise. That choice can change as work progresses, and she encourages ongoing feedback so sessions remain relevant to current needs.
The biography notes that she offers online therapy, but does not list specific formats. Please confirm available session formats before booking. Online work can make it easier to fit counselling around busy lives, reduce travel time and allow shorter check-ins when schedules are tight. It can also allow people to use quieter surroundings or avoid being on camera when they prefer a phone conversation.
Areas of expertise
Primary focus
Also works with
Additional focus areas
Therapeutic approaches
Experience
11+ years
Listed in
United Kingdom
Languages
English
Frequently asked questions
What kinds of problems does she address?
Shirley works with stress, anxiety, relationship and family concerns, trauma and abuse, grief, addiction, sleep and eating issues, parenting strain, self-esteem and related problems.
How would she describe her therapeutic style?
Her approach is person-centred and collaborative, with practical techniques from CBT and mindfulness added when helpful. Work can include short-term coping strategies or deeper reflection over time.
What experience does she bring?
She has 11 years of counselling experience and a long background in further and higher education, plus extensive work supporting survivors of domestic and relational abuse.
Where is she based and what credential does she hold?
She is based in the United Kingdom and is registered with the British Association for Counselling and Psychotherapy (BACP).
Can sessions be conducted in other languages or internationally?
Sessions are offered in English. She accepts international clients.
What session formats are used?
Please confirm the current session formats before booking as the biography does not specify which formats are offered.
How are sessions priced?
Cost varies with location and sessions use a subscription that can be cancelled at any time.
How do I start working with her?
Start by selecting the See online therapy options button, completing a short matching questionnaire, and then scheduling a first session.
Online talk therapy is for adults and is not emergency care, mediation or legal advice. If you or a child are in danger, use the emergency numbers. Find someone else by name.