James Vanstone, BACP, NCPS
21 years in practice
James Vanstone is a counsellor who aims to help people feeling overwhelmed by stress, anxiety, loss or big life changes.
License and registration
- BACP
- 399496 · expires February 2027
- NCPS
- NCS22-03987 · expires October 2026
- Years in practice
- 21
- Languages
- English
Details are as listed on the therapist's public professional profile. You can check the registration with the body that granted it.
About James
James Vanstone is a counsellor who aims to help people feeling overwhelmed by stress, anxiety, loss or big life changes. He writes simply and directly, and wants to make it easier for people to talk about difficult feelings. With 21 years of experience, he offers steady, practical support for concerns such as relationships, grief, self‑esteem and trauma.
James uses straightforward methods to build rapport quickly and make sessions feel useful from the start.
Background and approach
He helps clients notice patterns in their relationships and reactions, and teaches simple tools to manage anxiety, anger and low mood. He also supports people dealing with parenting strain, compassion fatigue and the impacts of abuse. His practice draws on existential ideas about meaning and choice, alongside attachment-based and client-centred ways of working.
These approaches help people talk about what matters, their attachments, and how they experience themselves in relationships. Cognitive behavioural techniques and emotionally focused ideas are also part of his toolkit when they fit the person’s goals. James holds BACP and NCPS credentials and has worked in the United Kingdom for many years.
He accepts international clients and conducts sessions in English. He aims to create an open, non-judgemental space where difficult topics can be discussed safely. Practical help often includes short strategies to use between sessions and steps to try in daily life.
People who need support with intimacy issues, commitment worries, adoption or attachment concerns may find his practical focus useful. Sessions aim to be collaborative and goal‑focused to help people make steady changes.
Focus areas and approaches
Everything James lists on their public professional profile, in their own terms.
- Stress, Anxiety
- Relationship issues
- Grief
- Self esteem
- Coping with life changes
- Family conflicts
- Trauma and abuse
- Intimacy-related issues
- Parenting issues
- Anger management
- Career difficulties
- Compassion fatigue
- ADHD
- Abandonment
- Adoption and foster care
- Aging and geriatric issues
- Attachment issues
- Autism and Asperger Syndrome
- Avoidant personality
- Caregiver issues and stress
- Commitment issues
- Communication problems
- Control issues
- Disruptive Mood Dysregulation Disorder (DMDD)
- Dissociation
- Divorce and separation
- Domestic violence
- Emptiness
- Family of origin issues
- Family problems
- Fatherhood issues
- Forgiveness
- Guilt and shame
- Infidelity
- Isolation / loneliness
- Jealousy
- Life purpose
- Men's issues
- Midlife crisis
- Multicultural concerns
- Narcissism
- Panic disorder and panic attacks
- Phobias
- Polyamory / non-monogamous relationships
- Post-traumatic stress
- Process addiction (porn, exercise, gambling)
- Self-love
- Sexual assault and abuse
- Social anxiety and phobia
- Workplace issues
Approaches James names
- Existential Therapy
- Attachment-Based Therapy
- Client-Centered Therapy
- Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT)
- Emotionally-Focused Therapy (EFT)
- Hypnotherapy
- Mindfulness Therapy
- Psychodynamic Therapy
- Solution-Focused Therapy
- Somatic Therapy
- Trauma-Focused Therapy
Naming an approach is not evidence of training in it. This directory copies what each therapist lists and does not check training records.
Online support
How James blends approaches for online counselling
James often draws on existential therapy to help people think about meaning, choice and the emotions that come with major life changes. This approach invites questions about what matters and can be useful for grief, emptiness or transitions.He also uses attachment-based ideas to look at how relationships shape feelings and behaviour. This helps people understand patterns in closeness, commitment and communication. Client-centred work forms a supportive base where the person’s experience is listened to and validated, and it helps people feel heard while they decide what to change.
Choosing the right approach is part of the work. The therapist will discuss your needs and try different methods to find what fits best. This happens together so goals and preferences guide which tools are used.
Online sessions can be offered by video calls, phone, live chat or text-based messaging, giving flexibility to suit daily life. Video calls are useful for a full conversational session, phone calls can work when bandwidth is limited, and messaging options help with short check-ins or ongoing support. These formats make it easier to schedule therapy around work, caring duties or travel.
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Questions people ask
What kinds of problems does he help with?
He works with stress, anxiety, relationship struggles, grief and self‑esteem issues. Other areas include trauma, parenting strain, compassion fatigue and ADHD.
How would he describe his therapeutic style?
He combines an existential outlook with attachment-based and client-centred ways of working. Sessions focus on meaning, relationships and practical steps you can try between meetings.
How much experience does he have?
He has 21 years of experience working with people on a wide range of personal and relational issues. That experience informs a pragmatic, down-to-earth approach.
What credentials and region are listed?
His listed credentials are BACP and NCPS and he works in the United Kingdom. These are the exact credentials provided.
Which languages and international options are available?
Sessions are offered in English, and he accepts international clients.
In what formats can sessions take place?
He offers video calls, phone sessions, live chat and text-based messaging to suit different preferences and schedules.
How are sessions paid for and what do they cost?
Cost varies with location and therapist availability; sessions use a subscription model that can be cancelled at any time.
What do I need to do to begin?
Select the Start Therapy button, complete a short matching questionnaire, and schedule according to the therapist's availability.
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