Angela Mcilhagger

Online Services Only. 

Available Tuesday to Thursday between 9.30am and 3pm. 

I offer structured, evidence-based psychological therapy grounded primarily in Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT), with integration of compassion-focused approaches where appropriate. My work focuses on understanding the psychological patterns that maintain difficulties such as cyclical mood changes, distressing eating patterns, and persistent self-criticism.

Many of the clients I work with experience periods where their mood, behaviour, or sense of self shifts in ways that feel difficult to understand or control. This can include cyclical mood changes associated with PMDD, binge–restrict eating patterns, or a long-standing pattern of harsh self-evaluation.

Therapy focuses on developing a clear understanding of these patterns and the factors that maintain them. From this shared formulation, we work collaboratively to test practical strategies that support gradual and meaningful change over time.

Sessions are structured, active, and paced carefully. I aim to provide a thoughtful and respectful therapeutic environment where patterns can be explored without judgement, and where therapy remains grounded in evidence-based psychological practice.

This approach tends to suit individuals who are interested in understanding the psychological patterns that maintain their difficulties, rather than seeking quick solutions or advice.

My practice offers structured CBT-based therapy for adults who want to better understand and change patterns that affect their emotional wellbeing, behaviour, or sense of self.

Many clients come to therapy feeling confused about why certain patterns continue despite their efforts to change them. These patterns may involve cyclical mood shifts, distressing eating behaviours, difficulties regulating emotion, or persistent self-criticism and shame.

In therapy we begin by developing a shared understanding of how these patterns operate. CBT helps us identify the links between thoughts, emotions, behaviour, and underlying beliefs. Compassion-focused approaches can also help address the harsh inner criticism that often accompanies these difficulties.

The aim of therapy is not simply to manage symptoms, but to understand the psychological processes that maintain them. From this understanding we develop practical strategies that support change in a gradual and sustainable way.

Sessions are collaborative and structured, and clients are encouraged to reflect on patterns both within and between sessions. Therapy is paced carefully and adapted to each individual’s needs.

Where relevant, we may also consider how factors such as sleep, stress, and nutrition interact with psychological patterns, though the work remains grounded in psychological therapy rather than prescriptive health or diet advice.

The first session is a 90-minute clinical assessment designed to develop a clear understanding of the difficulties you are experiencing and what you would like support with.

During this session we will explore the patterns that have brought you to therapy, including how these difficulties developed and what may be maintaining them. This helps us begin forming an initial psychological formulation that can guide the direction of therapy.

The assessment also allows us to consider whether CBT-based therapy is the most appropriate approach for your needs. If more specialist or intensive support would be more suitable, this can be discussed at this stage.

You will have space to ask questions about how therapy works and what to expect from the process. There is no obligation to continue after the assessment; the aim is simply to ensure that the approach feels appropriate and that you feel comfortable with the way we would work together.

If we decide to continue, sessions are typically 50 minutes and usually take place weekly, though the frequency can be discussed depending on individual circumstances.