Michelle Robinson-Hayes , BACP

Michelle Robinson-Hayes is a psychotherapeutic counsellor, hypnotherapist, career coach and mental health trainer with a decade of professional experience. She is BACP registered and NCPS accredited - credentials that reflect her commitment to recognised professional standards and training in counselling and therapeutic practice. With a background of over 30 years in senior corporate management, Michelle combines organisational insight with therapeutic skill to support clients facing stress, anxiety, relationship and grief issues as well as a wide range of other concerns including addiction, trauma, parenting and career-related challenges.

She founded The Listening Tree more than eight years ago to provide accessible counselling and hypnotherapy to local communities, and has delivered training in hypnotherapy and counselling up to level 5. As a counselling supervisor she supports other counsellors and has completed extensive bereavement work, including over 150 placement hours with CRUSE. Michelle completed an advanced hypnotherapy course with Higher Perspectives and is a qualified hypnotherapy supervisor, alongside accruing more than 1,000 hours of counselling and 500 hours of hypnotherapy practice since graduating.

Michelle has also worked with employee assistance programmes, helplines and telephone and video counselling, and has provided mentoring to students and mature learners who face complex mental or physical health barriers to study. She has been affiliated with organisations such as Anxiety UK, Ben, Mates in Mind, Professional Help Redarc, Randstad, Griefchat and Vita Health Ltd.

Therapeutic approaches and online sessions

Michelle integrates client-centered therapy and hypnotherapy alongside cognitive behavioral techniques to tailor support to each person's needs. Client-centered therapy focuses on creating a respectful, non-judgemental space where the client leads the pace and direction of work while the therapist offers empathy and understanding - this approach is helpful for issues like low self-esteem, relationship difficulties and coping with life changes.

Hypnotherapy uses guided relaxation and focused attention to help people address habits, stress responses and sleep or motivation challenges; it is often used alongside talking therapies to reinforce new ways of thinking and behaving. Cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) provides practical tools to identify and reframe unhelpful thoughts and patterns, which can be useful for anxiety, depression and stress-related concerns.

Finding the right approach is part of the therapeutic process. Michelle works collaboratively with clients to explore what feels most useful given their goals, preferences and life circumstances, and adapts methods over time based on progress and feedback.

Online therapy offers practical flexibility - sessions can be arranged as video calls, phone conversations, live chat or text-based messaging to fit busy schedules and different comfort levels. These formats make it easier for people in different locations to access licensed professionals and therapists, and to continue work between sessions when helpful.