Elaine Bell

Elaine Bell is a counsellor with eight years of experience who supports people facing eating and food-related issues among other concerns. She works in a warm, relational way and aims to help people feel understood. Elaine encourages clients to notice their own strengths and to take small steps toward change.

Her approach draws on client-centred practice and psychodynamic ideas. She pays attention to how past experiences shape current patterns. Elaine also uses mindfulness and existential ways of working to help people connect with values and present-moment experience.

Elaine trained through higher education and holds counselling qualifications and BACP registration. She has worked in the charity sector and in private practice in Northern Ireland, which has shaped how she supports people from different backgrounds.

In sessions she focuses on the relationship, emotional depth, and the personal stories that influence behaviour. She invites people to explore feelings, body experience, and recurring life scripts in simple, practical ways. The aim is to help clients find clearer choices and more helpful patterns.

For new clients Elaine offers weekly phone, video, and live chat sessions. Messaging is limited to practical matters or journalling and will not receive a therapeutic response. To begin, people complete a short matching questionnaire and schedule according to the therapist's availability.

How Elaine's approaches translate to online therapy

Client-Centred Therapy focuses on listening and understanding the person's experience. In online sessions this means the counsellor prioritises empathy, reflection and helping the client feel heard as they talk about eating, relationships or low mood.

Psychodynamic therapy looks at how past relationships and early patterns shape present behaviour. Online work can help bring those patterns into view so a client can notice repeating habits and try different responses in daily life.

Finding the right approach is part of the work. Elaine will talk with each person about their needs, goals and preferences and will shape sessions collaboratively. That helps decide whether a reflective psychodynamic focus or a more present-centred, client-led path will be more useful.

Practical benefits of online sessions include fitting therapy around busy days and reducing travel time. Video can support face-to-face style contact when that is helpful, while phone calls can be easier when a shorter check-in is needed or bandwidth is limited. Elaine's stated session options for new clients are weekly phone, video and live chat, and messaging is limited to practical matters and journalling; please confirm current session options before booking.