James Hardman

Face-to-face counselling and psychotherapy in Manchester city centre

I currently have limited availability within my private practice and welcome new enquiries from individuals seeking in-person counselling and psychotherapy in Manchester city centre, alongside online sessions.

I offer face-to-face counselling and psychotherapy from Piccadilly House in Manchester city centre. The central location makes therapy accessible for people travelling into Manchester for work, study or from surrounding areas being within walking distance from Piccadilly train station, Victoria train station and Metrolink's.

With me, therapy is a mindful, relational process that supports meaningful change. Sometimes the work isn’t about changing how you feel, particularly with experiences such as grief, loneliness or isolation, but about creating space to explore and understand those feelings.

My approach is primarily humanistic, meaning you are at the centre of the work. I integrate psychodynamic, existential and cognitive behavioural approaches where helpful, allowing therapy to be flexible and responsive to you.

Alongside warmth and support, I value honesty, curiosity and depth. This can include gentle challenge or thoughtful questioning, helping you explore patterns that may otherwise go unnoticed. At times, we may explore what happens between us in the here-and-now, using the therapeutic relationship to better understand how you relate to yourself and others.

I have a particular interest in helping clients develop a more compassionate relationship with themselves. Where appropriate, this can include inner child work, attachment-informed exploration and techniques such as two-chair dialogue, creating space to explore difficult or conflicting parts of your experience.

I also draw on existential ideas, exploring themes such as meaning, identity, relationships, isolation, freedom, responsibility and life’s uncertainties. Sometimes we can understand logically what we want to change while still repeating familiar patterns. Therapy can help us understand what sits beneath these patterns and explore different ways of responding.

I’m also interested in how relationships, culture, environment and wider systems can shape identity, distress and the ways we understand ourselves. Where relevant, we can explore these influences rather than viewing difficulties solely as something within the individual.

At the heart of my work is relationship. Together, we can make sense of your experiences, recognise your strengths and work towards meaningful, sustainable change.

Initial contact

You can get in touch through my website, email, phone or SMS. You're welcome to share a little about what brings you to therapy, or simply let me know that you'd like to connect. I'll then respond to your enquiry and, where appropriate, arrange a convenient time for an introductory conversation.

Introductory call

We can arrange a brief 15-minute introductory call to answer any questions you may have and get a sense of whether working together might feel like a good fit. If you decide you'd like to continue, I'll provide the relevant information about therapy and we can agree a regular appointment time, either in person or online.

Beginning therapy

The early sessions provide an opportunity to explore what has brought you to therapy, what you hope to gain from it and what might be helpful for you. They are also about getting to know one another and beginning to develop a trusting therapeutic relationship.

There isn't a requirement to have everything figured out before you start. Sometimes the starting point is simply having somewhere to talk openly about what's going on.

Ongoing therapy

As therapy develops, we'll explore your thoughts, feelings, relationships and patterns at a pace that feels appropriate for you. The work is collaborative and flexible, and we can adapt our approach as your needs and understanding develop.

Depending on what feels helpful, this might involve exploring your past experiences, relationships and attachment patterns, working with emotions in the present, developing greater self-compassion, or considering the choices available to you moving forward.

Ending therapy

When the time feels right, we'll work together towards a thoughtful ending. This may happen gradually or through a more structured process, with space to reflect on the work we've done, what you've learned about yourself and how you want to carry those insights forward.