David Spivey, BACP

David Spivey offers calm, practical support for people facing big life changes. He writes in an approachable way and helps people talk through difficult feelings. Many come to him worried about midlife shifts, relationships, grief, work stress or losing direction. He aims to make the first step feel safer and less overwhelming.

He uses a humanistic, relational way of working that sits within a transpersonal framework. That means sessions often focus on the relationship between counsellor and client, and may use stories, images or dreams when they help. He also draws on attachment ideas to look at how early relationships shape current patterns.

David brings 16 years of professional experience and a varied background outside therapy. His earlier roles include retail, running a construction business for 20 years and managing services in the voluntary sector for homeless young adults and unpaid carers. He has volunteered in a hospice supporting bereaved relatives and as a business mentor for the Prince's Trust.

He describes common themes he sees as anxiety, depression, relationship difficulties, money worries and a sense of an unlived life. In sessions he works with each person's unique experience rather than assuming a one-size-fits-all path. The emphasis is on understanding what is happening now and finding practical ways forward.

Clients are invited to reflect on goals and outcomes and try new perspectives. David combines counselling and coaching skills to tailor sessions to practical needs and deeper personal meaning. He aims to help people move from feeling stuck to making clearer choices about their next steps.

How his approaches translate to online work

David uses attachment-based and client-centred ideas to guide online sessions. Attachment-based work looks at patterns in close relationships and helps people recognise how past bonds shape current reactions, which can be useful for relationship difficulties and intimacy concerns. Client-centred therapy focuses on listening and meeting a person where they are, offering support for stress, anxiety, midlife questions and loss.

Finding the right approach is a collaborative process. The therapist will talk with each person about their needs, goals and preferences and together decide which methods to try. Sessions can shift over time as priorities change, with a mix of practical coaching-style conversation and deeper reflective work when that suits the client.

If you are considering online therapy, check which session formats are currently offered before booking. Online work can make it easier to fit sessions into a busy week, reduce travel time and allow shorter or more focused check-ins when needed. It can also make it simpler to keep continuity when life or work requires flexibility, while the therapeutic focus remains on making steady progress toward the outcomes you want.