About Shirley
Shirley Banton is a counsellor with a BACP registration and 11 years of experience. She frames sessions around a person-centred way of working that encourages people to set the pace. Her approach invites reflection and honesty in a calm, supportive setting.
Shirley blends person-centred ideas with other therapeutic approaches to meet individual needs. She describes the work as collaborative - the client and counsellor shape the focus together. That means practical conversations about patterns, boundaries and coping, not one-size-fits-all solutions.
Background and approach
She has extensive experience helping people affected by domestic violence and by emotional or relational abuse. Shirley also draws on long experience in further and higher education, which gives her insight into anxiety, burnout and identity pressures often faced by students and educators. Clients who feel overwhelmed, stuck or emotionally exhausted tend to find her style helpful.
The work aims to rebuild confidence, improve boundaries and make sense of recurring patterns. Shirley offers steady, consistent support rather than quick fixes. Shirley mentions LGBT among her areas of focus and is experienced with a wide range of concerns including anxiety, depression, trauma-related issues, grief, addictions and relationship difficulties.
She works with people who want emotional depth and meaning rather than purely directive coaching. To begin, clients complete a short matching questionnaire and schedule sessions according to availability. Shirley offers online therapy to make access easier for people who are not local.
What Shirley works with
Everything Shirley lists, in their own terms. LGBT is the reason Shirley is listed here; the rest shows what else Shirley works with.
- Stress, Anxiety
- Relationship issues
- Family conflicts
- Trauma and abuse
- Coping with life changes
- Addictions
- LGBT
- Grief
- Intimacy-related issues
- Eating disorders
- Sleeping disorders
- Parenting issues
- Anger management
- Self esteem
- Career difficulties
- Bipolar disorder
- Depression
- Coaching
- Compassion fatigue
- ADHD
- Abandonment
- Aging and geriatric issues
- Antisocial personality
- Attachment issues
- Avoidant personality
- Blended family issues
- Body image
- Codependency
- Commitment issues
- Communication problems
- Control issues
- Coping with natural or human-caused disaster
- Dependent personality
- Dissociation
- Domestic violence
- Eating and food-related issues
- Emptiness
- Family problems
- Fertility issues
- Forgiveness
- Guilt and shame
- Immigration issues
- Impulsivity
- Infidelity
- Isolation / loneliness
- Jealousy
- Life purpose
- Midlife crisis
- Money and financial issues
- Multicultural concerns
- Narcissism
- Obsessions, compulsions, and OCD
- Panic disorder and panic attacks
- Personality disorders
- Phobias
- Postpartum depression
- Post-traumatic stress
- Pregnancy and childbirth
- Prejudice and discrimination
- Self-harm
- Self-love
- Sexual assault and abuse
- Social anxiety and phobia
- Women's issues
- Workplace issues
- Young adult issues
Approaches Shirley lists
- Client-Centred Therapy
- Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT)
- Mindfulness Therapy
- Psychodynamic Therapy
- Solution-Focused Therapy
- Trauma-Focused Therapy
Listing an approach is not evidence of training in it. This directory copies what each counsellor names and does not check training records.
Therapeutic approaches you can use online
Shirley commonly uses client-centred work and cognitive behavioural techniques in her online practice. Client-centred therapy focuses on listening, acceptance and supporting people to find their own solutions; it helps when someone needs a calm space to understand feelings and choices. Cognitive behavioural therapy, or CBT, looks at links between thoughts, feelings and behaviour and helps people learn practical ways to change unhelpful patterns; it is often useful for anxiety and low mood.Finding the right mix of approaches is part of the work. Shirley treats therapy as a collaborative process and will help you decide which methods suit your goals, needs and preferences. That choice can change over time as progress is made and new issues arise.
The biography states she offers online therapy, which can make sessions easier to fit into busy lives. Online sessions can reduce travel time, make it simpler to schedule around work or study, and allow a quieter check-in when needed. Confirm the exact session formats available with the therapist before booking so you know how meetings are arranged.
Questions people ask about Shirley
What kinds of problems does Shirley help with?
She works with stress, anxiety, depression, trauma and abuse, relationship and intimacy issues, grief, addictions, eating and sleeping difficulties, parenting concerns, ADHD and many related areas.
How would you describe her therapeutic style?
Her style is person-centred and collaborative, with an emphasis on reflection and emotional depth. Sessions aim to be steady and supportive rather than directive or rushed.
What experience does she bring to sessions?
She has 11 years of counselling experience and longer experience working in further and higher education, which informs her understanding of anxiety, burnout and identity pressures.
What credentials and location are listed?
She is registered with the British Association for Counselling and Psychotherapy (BACP) and is based in the United Kingdom.
Which languages and international options are available?
Sessions are offered in English and she accepts international clients.
What session formats does she offer?
The original biography states she offers online therapy; please confirm current session formats before booking.
How does pricing work for sessions?
Cost varies with location and therapist availability and sessions use a subscription that can be cancelled at any time.
How do I start working with her?
Use the Start Therapy button, complete a short matching questionnaire, and then schedule sessions according to the therapist's availability.
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