Hayden François , BACP

Hayden François is a UK-licensed therapist with three years of professional experience and membership with BACP, a recognised professional counselling body. He practices an integrative form of counselling, bringing together techniques from different approaches to meet each person's unique needs and the concerns they bring to therapy.

Hayden has frequently supported people managing anxiety and depression, coping with abuse in its many forms, and navigating relationship challenges. He also works with issues such as imposter syndrome, difficulty asserting boundaries, grief, addiction, stress, and a wide range of other life changes. His practice includes work with LGBT clients, parents, and those facing career or intimacy-related concerns.

He aims to treat everyone with respect, sensitivity, and compassion, shaping dialogue and treatment plans to fit individual circumstances. Hayden offers practical tools and helps clients develop more effective coping strategies while providing a space to express thoughts and feelings without judgement. He recognises that starting counselling takes courage and frames that step as an important part of self-development, healing, and personal growth. Clients are encouraged to take pride in seeking support and to work collaboratively toward the changes they hope to make.

Approaches that guide online therapy

Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT) helps people notice unhelpful thoughts and learn to focus on what matters to them, combining mindfulness and practical action. It is often useful for anxiety, stress, and situations where people feel stuck or uncertain about next steps. Attachment-Based Therapy explores how early relationships shape current patterns of connection and trust, offering a way to address relationship difficulties, abandonment or attachment issues, and emotional responses linked to past experiences. Client-Centered Therapy places the client at the heart of the process, emphasising empathy, respect, and collaboration so clients can explore feelings and values at their own pace.

Hayden works collaboratively with each person to find the approaches that fit best. He sees choosing a therapeutic method as part of the work itself - together with the client he assesses needs, goals, and preferences and adapts the plan as progress unfolds.

Online sessions - by video, phone, live chat, or text messaging - make it easier to fit therapy into busy lives and to connect from different locations. These options provide flexibility in scheduling, allow continuity of care during life transitions, and make it possible to tailor the pace and format of sessions to what a client finds most helpful when working with licensed professionals and therapists.