Counselling should fit around your life, not the other way round. Online counselling gives you the same qualified, confidential support you would receive in my Leeds therapy room, delivered by secure video call or telephone to wherever you happen to be.
I am Tim Arnott, a BACP Registered and Accredited counsellor and psychotherapist, and I have been working with clients across the UK since 2016. Some live in Leeds and York and simply prefer online sessions. Others are scattered throughout the UK and there was never a therapist nearby who felt like the right fit. Online counselling removes distance from the decision entirely.
What is online counselling?
Online counselling is talking therapy delivered remotely rather than in a consulting room. Sessions run for the same 60 minutes, at the same regular weekly time, with the same counsellor each week. The only thing that changes is how we meet.
You can choose:
- Video counselling over a secure, encrypted platform. You see me, I see you, and the sessions feel very close to sitting in the same room.
- Telephone counselling if you would rather not be on camera. Some clients find it easier to speak openly without eye contact, and a phone session travels anywhere with signal.
There is no app to download, no subscription, and no waiting list. You get a link or a call at your agreed time, week after week.
Is online counselling as effective as face-to-face?
This is the question almost everyone asks first, and it is a fair one.
The evidence over the past decade is consistent: for the majority of common difficulties, including anxiety, depression, stress, bereavement and relationship problems, remotely delivered talking therapy produces outcomes comparable to seeing a counsellor in person. Remote therapy is now embedded in NHS talking therapy services precisely because it works. What matters most for the outcome of counselling is the quality of the relationship between client and counsellor, and that relationship builds perfectly well through a screen.
In my own practice, clients regularly tell me they said things in an online session sooner than they expected to. Being in your own space, with your own things around you, can make difficult subjects easier to access.
Online counselling is less suitable if you are in immediate crisis, at risk of harm, or need urgent psychiatric support. In those situations, in-person NHS or emergency care is the right route.
Who online counselling suits
Online counselling tends to work particularly well if you:
- Live outside Leeds and York. You are no longer limited to whoever practises within driving distance of your postcode.
- Have a demanding job. A session at 7am, over lunch, or at 8pm avoids losing half a day to travel.
- Have caring responsibilities. Parents and carers often cannot free up two hours, but they can free up one.
- Have mobility or health difficulties that make travel tiring, painful or unpredictable.
- Travel frequently for work, or split your time between locations.
- Live abroad but want a UK-trained counsellor working in your first language and cultural context.
- Feel anxious about walking into a therapy room. Starting from your own sofa can lower the barrier enough to begin.
You do not need a diagnosis or a clear explanation of what is wrong. “Something isn’t right and I don’t know what” is a perfectly good place to start.
What online counselling can help with
I work with adults on the full range of issues I see in person, including:
- Anxiety and panic
- Depression and low mood
- Bereavement and loss
- Stress and burnout
- Relationship difficulties
- Family, divorce and separation
- Low self-esteem and confidence
- Sex and sexuality
- Work, career and workplace stress
- Personal development and self-understanding
Counselling is not about me telling you what to do. I will encourage you to talk about what is concerning you, and I will listen carefully while we explore your thoughts and feelings together at your pace.
How online counselling works, step by step
1. Get in touch. Call or text me on 07921101505, or email tim@therapyuk.co.uk. Tell me as much or as little as you want to at this stage.
2. Free consultation. We have a short, no-obligation conversation so you can ask questions, hear how I work, and get a feel for whether I am the right counsellor for you. There is no pressure to book anything.
3. Agree a regular slot. Most clients meet weekly at a fixed time, which builds the continuity that makes therapy work.
4. Your first session. I send you a secure link shortly before we start, or I call you if we have agreed telephone sessions. We spend the first session getting a picture of what has brought you here and what you would like to be different.
5. Ongoing sessions. We review how things are going as we go along, and you decide how long you want to continue. Some people come for six to eight sessions with a specific focus, others stay for longer, open-ended work.
If you are already an in-person client and want to switch to online, your existing time slot stays exactly the same. Just let me know.
What you need for an online session
Very little:
- A device with a camera and microphone, such as a laptop, tablet or phone
- A reasonably stable internet connection, or simply phone signal for telephone sessions
- Around an hour where you will not be interrupted
- Headphones, which improve privacy and sound quality
The one thing worth planning is where you will sit. A room with a door you can close is ideal. Clients have taken sessions from a spare bedroom, a garden shed, a parked car and a lunch break in an empty meeting room. If finding privacy at home is difficult, tell me and we will work out something that suits your circumstances.
Privacy and confidentiality
Everything you say in an online session is treated with exactly the same confidentiality as an in-person one. I work within the BACP Ethical Framework, hold professional indemnity insurance, and receive regular clinical supervision.
Sessions are conducted over an encrypted platform. I do not record sessions, and I ask that you do not either. Your contact details are stored securely and in line with UK GDPR, and are never shared or sold.
Before we begin I will ask for an emergency contact and the address you will usually be calling from. This is standard practice for remote work and exists solely so I can help if something serious happens during a session.
Online, telephone or in person?
All three work. This is a question of what suits your life, not one option being a lesser version of another.
Online video tends to suit you if you live outside West Yorkshire, have a tight schedule, travel often, or would find it easier to talk from somewhere familiar.
Telephone tends to suit you if you find video draining or self-conscious, have an unreliable connection, or want to be able to walk while you talk.
In-person counselling tends to suit you if you want a clear separation between therapy and home, you do not have a private space to talk in, or you simply feel more comfortable in the same room as another person.
Plenty of clients mix them. Coming to Leeds most weeks and switching to video when work or travel makes it difficult is completely normal, and that flexibility is built in. You do not have to decide now.
Fees and payment
Online sessions are 60 minutes long. Payment is made online before each session begins, and you can find current fees and answers to common practical questions on my FAQs page.
I keep a small number of early morning and evening slots available for people who cannot get away during the working day.
Frequently asked questions about online counselling
Does online counselling really work? Yes. Research consistently finds that talking therapy delivered by video or telephone achieves outcomes comparable to face-to-face counselling for most common difficulties. The relationship between you and your counsellor matters far more than the medium.
Where in the UK do you work with clients? Anywhere. I see clients online across England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland, as well as UK citizens living abroad who want a UK-trained counsellor.
How long is an online counselling session? 60 minutes, usually at the same time each week.
Is it confidential? Yes. Online sessions carry the same confidentiality as in-person work, within the BACP Ethical Framework. Sessions are not recorded.
What if my internet connection drops? It happens occasionally and it is not a problem. I will call you on your mobile and we continue the session by phone.
Do I need to be on camera? No. Telephone counselling is a full alternative, not a fallback, and some clients prefer it throughout.
Can I switch between online and in-person sessions? Yes. If you normally attend my Leeds city centre room, you can move to online sessions and keep the same time slot. Just let me know in advance.
Do I need a GP referral? No. You can contact me directly and book privately, with no referral and no waiting list.
Book a free online counselling consultation
Taking the first step is usually the hardest part of counselling, and it is often the one that makes the biggest difference.
Call or text 07921101505 or email tim@therapyuk.co.uk for a free, no-obligation consultation. If I am in a session I will get back to you as soon as I can.
Tim Arnott MA, BA (Hons), MBACP (Accred)
Registered and Accredited Counsellor & Psychotherapist
BACP Registered Number: 353900
If you need urgent support, contact your GP, call NHS 111, or call Samaritans free on 116 123 at any time, day or night. In an emergency, call 999.