Valerie Harmer , BACP

Valerie Harmer is a solution-focused therapist who helps people understand why they are struggling and what may be maintaining those difficulties. She works collaboratively with clients to identify practical changes that can break unhelpful patterns and support forward movement, offering both brief and longer-term work depending on each person's goals and needs.

Valerie supports individuals and couples with a wide range of relationship and emotional challenges, including anxiety, low self-esteem, anger, obsessive-compulsive tendencies, phobias, depression, bereavement and relationship difficulties. Her approach is pragmatic and change-focused, blending Solution-Focused methods with elements of Cognitive Behavioural Therapy and Behavioural Activation to tailor work to the client’s situation. She listens without judgment, asks focused questions to clarify the different parts of a problem, and provides respectful feedback and guidance to help clients gain greater awareness and make meaningful changes.

Across nine years of study and practice she has completed postgraduate study in Counselling and CBT Psychotherapy at the University of South Wales, gained a Diploma in Solution-Focused Hypnotherapy at the Clifton Practice in Bristol, and trained as a bereavement counsellor with CRUSE. As a member of the BACP - the British Association for Counselling and Psychotherapy - she follows professional practice guidance and engages in regular supervision and ongoing professional development. Therapy sessions are personal and delivered with a focus on practical outcomes and collaborative working.

Online Therapeutic Approaches - CBT, Mindfulness, and Solution-Focused Work

Valerie Harmer integrates Cognitive Behavioral Therapy and Mindfulness alongside Solution-Focused techniques to support clients online. Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) helps people identify unhelpful thinking and behavior patterns and develops practical strategies to change them - it is often used for anxiety, depression, and stress-related difficulties. Mindfulness Therapy encourages present-moment awareness and simple practice skills that can reduce reactivity and improve emotional regulation - it can be helpful for stress, rumination, and low mood. Solution-Focused Therapy concentrates on identifying strengths and small, achievable steps toward the future clients want, making it suited to goal-oriented work and practical life changes.

Finding the right approach is part of the therapeutic process, and Valerie will work collaboratively with each person to decide which methods best match their needs, goals, and preferences. She adapts techniques from these approaches as appropriate, reviewing progress together and adjusting the plan as required.

Online therapy with Valerie is available by video calls, phone sessions, live chat, or text-based messaging, offering flexibility to fit different schedules and lifestyles. These options make it easier to access consistent support without travel, allow sessions to happen from familiar settings, and provide multiple ways to communicate depending on what feels most comfortable for the individual.