Gareth Barnes

I am available 4-6 on Mondays, 8-5 on Tuesdays. 4-6 on Wednesday and 9-12 on Saturdays. I have spaces available for new clients at the moment.

Hello, I’m Gareth, a BACP-registered integrative counsellor based in Horwich, Bolton.

I offer a warm, confidential and non-judgemental space in which you can talk openly about what is troubling you. I work with adults experiencing anxiety, depression, bereavement, relationship difficulties, low self-esteem, workplace stress and periods of feeling stuck or uncertain about what to do next.

My approach combines person-centred counselling with Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT). This means that our work can include space to explore your experiences and emotions at your own pace, alongside practical strategies for understanding and changing patterns of thinking or behaviour when these would be helpful. I tailor the approach to you rather than expecting you to fit a particular model.

Before becoming a counsellor, I worked in the legal profession. Personal experiences of anxiety, low mood and bereavement eventually led me to seek counselling myself. Experiencing how valuable therapy could be inspired me to retrain in my mid-forties.

I have since supported clients in private practice, through Employee Assistance Programme work and in bereavement services. These experiences have given me particular insight into grief, workplace pressures and the difficulty many people—especially men—can experience when asking for help.

I believe counselling is not about telling you what to do or trying to turn you into someone different. It is an opportunity to understand yourself more fully, develop greater self-compassion and find ways of responding to life that feel more sustainable and authentic.

I work integratively, bringing together person-centred counselling and Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT).

Person-centred counselling offers a supportive relationship in which you can explore your thoughts, feelings and experiences without judgement. CBT can add practical ways of understanding how thoughts, emotions, physical sensations and behaviour influence one another. Depending on your needs, we might use CBT strategies to address problems such as anxiety, panic, low mood, unhelpful thinking patterns or avoidance.

Some clients want time to make sense of past experiences or loss. Others prefer a more structured and practical approach focused on a current difficulty. Many benefit from a combination of the two. We will discuss what you hope to gain from counselling and regularly review whether our work is meeting your needs.

Sessions are confidential, subject to the usual ethical, safeguarding and legal limits, which I will explain when we begin.

I currently offer online sessions / telephone sessions.  Sessions last 1 hour and cost £45.

Starting counselling can feel daunting, particularly if you have not spoken to a therapist before. I offer a free introductory telephone conversation so that you can briefly explain what you are looking for and ask any questions about how I work.

If we decide to arrange a first session, we will discuss what has brought you to counselling, what you would like to be different and whether you have any particular goals. We will also agree practical matters such as confidentiality, session arrangements and how we will review our work.

You do not need to prepare anything or tell me everything at once. The first session is an opportunity for us to begin getting to know one another and to decide whether working together feels right for you.