Counsellor profile
Valerie Harmer, BACP
BACP counsellor - relationships and parenting
Continue with ValerieAbout
- CBT
- Mindfulness
- Solution focused
About Valerie
Valerie Harmer is a BACP counsellor in the United Kingdom with nine years' experience. She helps people who are struggling with anxiety, depression, relationship problems, grief, low self-esteem, parenting strain and related concerns. She also works with issues such as trauma, eating and sleeping difficulties, anger, ADHD and career stress.
Valerie uses practical, change-focused methods. She asks a lot of questions to help clients see what keeps a problem going. Sessions aim to identify small steps that break unhelpful cycles of behaviour and make day-to-day life easier.
Her training includes postgraduate study in counselling and CBT psychotherapy at the University of South Wales. She also completed a diploma in Solution-Focused Hypnotherapy and training in bereavement counselling with CRUSE. Valerie follows the British Association for Counselling and Psychotherapy (BACP) code of conduct and attends regular supervision.
Work can be brief or longer term depending on the person's goals. Valerie draws on Cognitive Behavioural Therapy, Solution-Focused approaches and mindfulness techniques. Expect practical feedback and suggestions as well as guided discussion about what to try between sessions.
People come for one-off support, help through life changes, or ongoing coaching-style therapy to manage recurring patterns. Valerie aims to make progress clear and manageable, focusing on what can realistically change next.
How sessions work
How Valerie uses CBT, mindfulness and solution-focused work online
Valerie draws on Cognitive Behavioural Therapy to spot links between thoughts, feelings and behaviour. CBT often involves noticing unhelpful thinking patterns, testing them and practising alternative responses to reduce anxiety or low mood.She also uses mindfulness techniques to help people stay present and manage intense emotions. Mindfulness can be brief exercises in attention and breathing to reduce reactivity and improve concentration.
Solution-Focused Therapy is about identifying what already works and building on it. This approach focuses on practical, achievable changes and short-term goals to break unhelpful cycles of behaviour.
Finding the right mix of approaches is a collaborative process. The therapist will talk with each person about their goals, preferences and what has or hasn’t helped before. Together they agree what to try first and how long to continue a particular method.
The biography does not list specific online formats, so confirm the available session types before booking. Online work can make it easier to fit sessions into a busy week, allow shorter check-ins when needed and reduce travel time. Registered or accredited professionals can adapt exercises and homework for remote sessions so therapy fits daily life.
Areas of focus
Areas of expertise
Primary focus
Also works with
Additional focus areas
Therapeutic approaches
Experience
9+ years
Listed in
United Kingdom
Languages
English
Questions
Frequently asked questions
What concerns does she support?
She works with stress, anxiety, depression, grief, relationship problems, parenting strain, anger, eating and sleeping difficulties, ADHD and related issues.
How would she approach a session?
Her style is pragmatic and change focused. She asks questions to clarify patterns and suggests small, practical steps to try between sessions.
What is her background and experience?
She has nine years' experience and postgraduate study in counselling and CBT psychotherapy, plus additional diplomas and bereavement training.
What credential does she hold and where is she based?
She is a member of the British Association for Counselling and Psychotherapy (BACP) and practises in the United Kingdom.
Does she work in other languages or with international clients?
Sessions are offered in English and she does not accept international clients.
What session formats are available?
The original biography does not list specific session formats. Please confirm the current online session options before booking.
How are sessions paid for?
Costs vary with location and sessions use a subscription that can be cancelled at any time.
How do I begin working with her?
Use the See online therapy options button, complete a short matching questionnaire, and schedule a first session.
Details come from information the counsellor supplied to BetterHelp. A registration can be checked with the body that issued it.
Online talk therapy is not emergency care. If anyone is in danger, use the crisis numbers.