Hilary Jiggins , BACP

Hilary Jiggins brings 15 years of experience to an integrative, transparent approach to therapy that aims to be practical and respectful of each person’s expertise about their own life. She blends evidence-based methods with a humanistic stance, adapting techniques from cognitive-behavioural therapy (CBT) and dialectical behaviour therapy (DBT) alongside client-centered and existential perspectives to suit the needs of each individual. Hilary trained and began her work co-facilitating support groups with the mental health charity Mind and later worked with organisations including As You Are, Cruse Bereavement Care, and Sussex Communities Development Association, gaining experience with adults, groups, couples and young people.

With a background in medical science, she keeps practice informed by current research and NICE guidance and explains clinical reasoning in plain terms so clients can understand the choices made in sessions. Hilary uses active frameworks such as Solution-Focused work and Motivational Interviewing as well as CBT and DBT skills training, and she is comfortable adapting standard tools—including psychometric measures when appropriate—or using more creative formats to suit preferences. She aims to make therapy efficient and goal-oriented when that fits, helping reduce distress and move people toward the life they want, while also offering longer-term psychotherapy when deeper exploration of personal history and relationships is needed.

Hilary is accredited with the BACP (British Association for Counselling and Psychotherapy) and approaches clients with kindness, curiosity and a commitment to collaborative decision-making about what will work best.

Integrative Therapeutic Approaches for Online Care

Hilary commonly draws on client-centered therapy and cognitive behavioural therapy (CBT) in her online practice. Client-centered therapy focuses on building an empathic, non-judgemental therapeutic relationship that helps people explore their feelings and values, which can be useful for issues such as relationship difficulties, grief and self-esteem. CBT is a structured, problem-focused approach that helps identify and shift unhelpful thinking and behaviour patterns, often used for anxiety, depression and stress-related concerns. She also incorporates dialectical behaviour therapy (DBT) skills when emotional regulation, distress tolerance or interpersonal effectiveness are priorities.

Finding the right approach is part of the therapeutic journey, and Hilary works collaboratively with clients to determine which methods best fit their needs, goals and preferences. That process may include trying different tools, adapting standard formats, or moving from shorter-term symptom-focused work to more exploratory psychotherapy if helpful.

Online therapy offers practical flexibility - sessions can take place by video call or phone, and shorter or ongoing support can be provided via live chat or text-based messaging. These options make it easier to fit therapy around work, caregiving and geographic constraints while still accessing consistent support from licensed professionals and therapists.