Deborah Crossfield

Counsellor & Psychotherapist | MBACP

Thank you for visiting my website. I provide counselling for adults and young people (16+) who want a supportive, professional space to work through challenges such as anxiety, depression, self-esteem, stress, burnout, or life changes. I work with clients navigating work pressures, relationships, caring responsibilities, health issues, bereavement, or significant transitions.

You may be someone who is used to coping well: responsible, thoughtful, perhaps the one others rely on, yet recently things feel harder to manage. Many of the people I support identify as conscientious, sensitive, or perfectionistic, and may often find themselves feeling exhausted from trying to hold everything together.

I work UK-wide via video and telephone, offering short-term or open-ended counselling depending on your needs.

I aim to offer a calm, warm, and non-judgemental space where you can simply be yourself, pause, and reflect. Counselling can offer an opportunity to make sense of how you are feeling and gain some perspective as we navigate what feels challenging. You can read below to find out more about my approach and how we can work together.

About me

👋🏽 Hi, I’m Deborah

My own journey into counselling began volunteering on a support helpline, where I saw first-hand the difference it can make to have someone who listens without judgement. That experience inspired me to train as a psychotherapist. I’ve since had the privilege of working with both adults and teenagers across many different walks of life.

Since 2015, I’ve worked in a range of counselling settings including Employee Assistance Programmes (EAP), education, and the charity sector.

I work with clients who may be living with challenges such as anxiety or depression, whether these are familiar struggles you’re trying to manage, or whether you are facing them for the first time.

I often support clients with stress, bullying, burnout, and those navigating big life transitions - such as reconsidering life choices, health issues or loss.

Here is a full list of areas that I can help with.

I am now primarily based in the North West where I run my private practice, offering online and telephone sessions to clients across the UK.

Areas I can support with

Whether you’re managing stress, coping with loss, or struggling with confidence, counselling provides a safe space to explore what’s going on for you.

Here are some of the areas I commonly work with. Your experience is unique, and our sessions will be shaped by what matters most to you.

If you’d like to book a free 15-minute consultation, please click here.

  • Anxiety can present itself in many different ways. For some, it feels physical, like a racing heart, tight chest, or even panic attacks. For others, it might be more about constant worry, troubling thoughts, feeling on edge, or changes in mood such as irritability or tearfulness.

    In our sessions, we’ll explore what anxiety looks like for you and what might be driving it. Together, we’ll work on practical ways to manage those emotions so they feel less overwhelming and you can feel more in control of your life.

  • Losing someone can touch every part of life. Grief is a deeply personal experience that might bring sadness, anger, guilt, numbness or even relief, and these feelings often come in waves.

    Counselling offers a compassionate space to express what you’re going through at your own pace. We can explore ways to live alongside loss and find meaning as you begin to adjust to life after bereavement.

  • Experiencing bullying or harassment at work can leave you feeling anxious, isolated, and unsure about how to respond. These situations often impact confidence, performance, and wellbeing, sometimes long after the incidents occur.

    During counselling, you’ll have a safe space to talk openly about what’s happened and how it’s affecting you. We can work together to rebuild your confidence, process difficult emotions, and find strategies to help you feel more in control.

  • Depression can feel really heavy and isolating. This might appear as low energy, changes in sleep or appetite, loss of motivation, or a sense that life has lost its colour. For some of us, it can be a constant low mood; for others, it comes and goes in waves and might re-emerge at difficult times in our lives.

    In counselling, we’ll create a space where you can talk openly without judgement. Together, we can begin to explore what might be contributing to how you feel and work on strategies to help you regain a sense of balance and connection in your life.

  • Living with a health condition, or supporting someone else who is, can be overwhelming, both emotionally and practically. You might feel anxious about the future, frustrated by limitations, dealing with changes to your own identity, or isolated in your experience.

    In counselling, we’ll have a space to process your feelings and develop strategies to help you manage uncertainty and start to live as fully as possible.

  • Change, even when it is positive, can still feel unsettling. You might be starting a new job, moving house, or navigating separation or retirement. These moments can bring uncertainty and mixed emotions that feel difficult to manage.

    In counselling, you’ll have space to process these changes and what they mean for you. We can work together to help you feel grounded and rebuild your confidence as you adjust to these transitions.

  • Relationships are central to our wellbeing, but they can also be a source of stress and conflict. You might be facing challenges with a partner, family member, friend, or colleague, or feel like your needs aren’t being understood.

    Together, we’ll explore what’s happening in your relationships and work on practical ways to improve your wellbeing, strengthen boundaries, and build healthier connections.

  • Struggling with confidence can impact every part of life. You might find yourself doubting your abilities, worrying about what others think, or feeling as though you’re never “good enough”. These beliefs can hold us back at work, in relationships, and everyday life.

    In counselling, we’ll explore where these feelings come from and what keeps them going. Together, we can work on building self-worth, developing self-compassion, and creating strategies that help you feel more confident and grounded in yourself.

  • When life feels like too much, it can be difficult to know where to start or to focus our attention. Stress and overwhelm often affect sleep, mood, and concentration, leaving you feeling unable to ‘switch off’ or burnt out.

    Counselling provides a space to slow down and make sense of what’s going on. Together, we can explore what’s contributing to the pressure and look at strategies to restore a sense of balance.

  • Workplace issues can affect us in many ways. You might be managing a heavy workload, dealing with difficult dynamics, or facing formal processes such as disciplinaries or grievances. Over time, these pressures can lead to stress, anxiety, or even burnout, a state of physical and emotional exhaustion where everything feels harder to manage.

    In counselling, you’ll have a confidential space to process what’s happening and how it’s impacting you. Together, we can work on strategies to manage these issues so that you can feel more in control of your wellbeing at work and beyond.

My approach

I combine Person-Centred Therapy with Solution-Focused techniques, creating a balance between a compassionate, non-judgemental space and practical strategies for change.

Clients I work with often describe feeling overwhelmed, perhaps finding it harder to cope from day to day, noticing their emotions feel much closer to the surface, struggling with sleep, or finding it difficult to focus at work. These challenges can also spill over into relationships, leaving us feeling misunderstood, wanting to withdraw or feeling low in confidence. It might be that the strategies that once helped us don’t seem to be working any more. For others, we might have a sense of wanting our life to feel different but not knowing where or how to start.

Counselling offers a space to make sense of these feelings. Together, we begin with small, manageable steps towards the changes you’d like to see, helping you gain perspective, feel more grounded, and move forward in a way that feels right for you.

My professional background

  • Registered Member of the British Association for Counselling and Psychotherapy (BACP)

  • MA Person-Centred Experiential Counselling and Psychotherapy Practice

  • Committed to ongoing training and professional development, guided by the BACP ethical framework

  • I am also a provider of Critical Incident Debriefing

What to expect

How do sessions work and what are your fees?

Sessions are 50 minutes, offered online via secure video or telephone for clients across the UK. I work with adults and young people (16+)

Sessions last 50 minutes and typically take place weekly.

Session Fees: £70.00 per session

What happens in the first session?

The first session is a safe, non-judgemental space to explore what’s been challenging for you. We can go at your pace and focus on understanding your experiences. There is no expectation to share everything all at once. Many clients find it helpful simply to have a safe, confidential space where they can begin to talk things through.

How long will I need counselling?

I offer flexibility depending on your needs. Sessions can be short-term for specific concerns or open-ended for longer-term exploration, depending on your needs. We will reflect on progress and ensure the work continues to feel helpful for you. We can discuss which approach feels right during your initial free consultation.

Get in touch

Taking the first step towards counselling can feel daunting, so I offer a free initial 15-minute consultation to make the process easier.

This brief call is a chance for you to share what’s bringing you here, explore your goals and ask any questions you might have.

It’s also an opportunity for us both to see whether we’d be a good fit to work together.

Please fill in your details and let me know your availability for the consultation.

I aim to respond to all enquiries within one working day.

If you are in crisis and need immediate support, please contact 999 or the Samaritans on 116 123.