- 25 years experience
- BACP registered
- Grief and loss focus
About Karen
Karen Bannerman is a BACP counsellor based in the United Kingdom with 25 years of experience. She supports people dealing with stress, anxiety, depression and grief, and she is experienced at helping with relationship and family concerns. Her approach aims to make people feel heard and treated with respect.
Karen creates a calm space where clients can talk about difficult feelings without fear of judgement. She listens closely to each person's story and helps them find practical steps to manage day-to-day challenges. Conversations may cover loss, coping with life changes, and the strain of caregiving, among other worries.
Her work draws on a mix of approaches that fit the issue at hand. Karen uses Attachment-Based ideas to look at relationship patterns, Client-Centred ways to follow what matters most to the client, and Cognitive Behavioural techniques for tackling unhelpful thoughts and behaviours. Mindfulness and Psychodynamic ideas may also feature to help with self-understanding and emotional regulation.
She has a long history supporting people through grief and end-of-life concerns, and she can help with the emotional impact of chronic illness, cancer, or aging-related issues. If a situation requires different resources, Karen will signpost to other agencies or organisations she considers appropriate.
To begin, she asks people to describe their needs so she can suggest a helpful next step. Sessions are conducted in English and are arranged within the UK context.
Karen creates a calm space where clients can talk about difficult feelings without fear of judgement. She listens closely to each person's story and helps them find practical steps to manage day-to-day challenges. Conversations may cover loss, coping with life changes, and the strain of caregiving, among other worries.
Her work draws on a mix of approaches that fit the issue at hand. Karen uses Attachment-Based ideas to look at relationship patterns, Client-Centred ways to follow what matters most to the client, and Cognitive Behavioural techniques for tackling unhelpful thoughts and behaviours. Mindfulness and Psychodynamic ideas may also feature to help with self-understanding and emotional regulation.
She has a long history supporting people through grief and end-of-life concerns, and she can help with the emotional impact of chronic illness, cancer, or aging-related issues. If a situation requires different resources, Karen will signpost to other agencies or organisations she considers appropriate.
To begin, she asks people to describe their needs so she can suggest a helpful next step. Sessions are conducted in English and are arranged within the UK context.
Areas of expertise
Primary focus
Also works with
AddictionsLGBTFamily conflictsIntimacy-related issuesEating disordersParenting issuesAnger managementSelf esteemCareer difficultiesBipolar disorderCoping with life changesCompassion fatigueADHD
Additional focus areas
AbandonmentAdoption and foster careAging and geriatric issuesAntisocial personalityAttachment issuesAutism and Asperger SyndromeAvoidant personalityBlended family issuesBody imageCancerCaregiver issues and stressChronic pain, illness, and disabilityCodependencyCommitment issuesCommunication problemsControl issuesDependent personalityDissociationDivorce and separationDomestic violenceEmptinessFamily of origin issuesFamily problemsFatherhood issuesFertility issuesForgivenessGuilt and shameHospice and end-of-life counselingImpulsivityInfidelityIsolation / lonelinessJealousyLife purposeMen's issuesMidlife crisisVeteran and Armed Forces IssuesMoney and financial issuesMulticultural concernsNarcissismObsessions, compulsions, and OCDPanic disorder and panic attacksPostpartum depressionPost-traumatic stressPregnancy and childbirthPrejudice and discriminationSeasonal Affective Disorder (SAD)Self-harmSelf-loveSexual assault and abuseSexualitySocial anxiety and phobiaTraumatic brain injuryWomen's issuesWorkplace issuesYoung adult issues
Therapeutic approaches
Attachment-Based TherapyClient-Centered TherapyCognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT)Mindfulness TherapyPsychodynamic TherapySolution-Focused TherapyTrauma-Focused TherapyInternal Family Systems
Experience
25+ years
Credentials
BACP · United Kingdom
Languages
English
How Karen's approaches translate to online work
Attachment-Based Therapy looks at patterns in close relationships and how early bonds shape feelings and reactions; it can help when trust or attachment causes distress. Client-Centred Therapy focuses on what matters to the person in the room, with the counsellor following the client's lead and offering empathic, non-directive support. Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT) helps people spot and change unhelpful thoughts and behaviours, and is often used for anxiety, depression and coping with change.Finding the right mix of approaches is part of the work. Karen will collaborate with each person to decide which methods suit their goals and preferences, and she will adjust the focus as progress is made. The aim is to match practical tools and reflective listening to what feels most useful for the client.
Please confirm current session options before booking, as the biography does not specify formats. Online counselling can make it easier to fit therapy into a busy day, reduce travel time and allow shorter check-ins when needed. It also helps people continue work when coping with illness, caregiving or mobility limits. Registered or accredited professionals, including counsellors, can offer these practical benefits while working with the approaches described above.
Frequently asked questions
What kinds of concerns does Karen address?
She supports people with stress, anxiety, depression, grief and relationship and family concerns, plus issues such as addiction, eating difficulties, ADHD and compassion fatigue.
How would you describe her therapeutic style?
Her style is listening-led and practical. She offers a mix of attachment, client-centred and cognitive behavioural approaches tailored to the person's needs.
What is Karen's professional background?
Karen has 25 years of professional experience working with a range of emotional and relational issues across the UK.
What credentials and location are listed?
She is listed with the British Association for Counselling and Psychotherapy (BACP) and practises in the United Kingdom.
Which languages are supported?
Sessions are offered in English.
Can people outside the UK work with her?
International clients are not currently accepted; sessions are provided within the UK context.
How does charging and payments work?
Cost varies with location and therapist availability; sessions use a subscription that can be cancelled at any time.
How do I begin if I want to work with her?
Use the Start Therapy button, complete a short matching questionnaire, and then schedule sessions according to therapist availability.