Paula De Souza , BACP

Paula De Souza is a BACP-registered therapist based in the United Kingdom with four years of professional experience. She works with people managing anxiety and stress, relationship and family difficulties, past trauma, health-related concerns, caring responsibilities, grief, eating and body image issues, and a range of other life challenges. Paula also supports clients facing parenting and caregiver stress, work and career questions, bipolar disorder, and transitions such as aging and divorce.

As a practitioner she emphasises a client-centered stance, putting the person and their priorities at the heart of the work, and draws on psychodynamic ideas when exploring patterns that may have developed over time. BACP refers to the British Association for Counselling and Psychotherapy, a professional body for counsellors and therapists in the UK, and Paula’s registration indicates her membership of that organisation.

In counselling she offers a collaborative, paced approach that helps people explore thoughts, feelings and behaviours while developing practical coping skills. The process is intended to help untangle complex issues, clarify next steps and support movement toward the life someone wants to live. Paula aims to build a trusting, non-judgemental relationship so clients can be heard and work on the areas that matter most to them.

Client-centered and psychodynamic approaches for online therapy

Paula uses client-centered therapy to place the person's experience and priorities at the centre of the work. This approach focuses on empathetic listening, respect for the client’s pace, and supporting people to find their own solutions - it is often helpful for anxiety, stress, relationship difficulties and self-esteem concerns.

She also draws on psychodynamic ideas to explore how past experiences and relational patterns may influence current feelings and behaviour. This perspective can help when someone wants to understand recurring difficulties, attachment issues, or long-standing emotional responses.

Finding the right therapeutic approach is part of the process and Paula works collaboratively with each person to identify what fits best for their needs, goals and preferences. Together they review progress and adapt the approach as therapy evolves.

Online therapy offers practical flexibility - sessions can take place by video call or phone when face-to-face meetings are not possible, and live chat or text-based messaging provide alternative ways to communicate between scheduled sessions. These options make it easier to access consistent support alongside work, family and other commitments while connecting with licensed professionals and therapists from wherever the client is located.