Laidley Poulton, ACA

Laidley Poulton is an ACA counsellor who creates a calm, structured space for people to talk about what matters. He focuses on both immediate worries and the wider patterns that shape responses to stress and change. Laidley draws on personal experience with mental health to offer steady, empathetic support for those feeling unsure about starting therapy.

Sessions begin with careful listening to what is happening now. He helps people slow down, name difficult feelings, and make sense of repeating behaviours. Practical skills and mindful awareness are woven into conversations so clients leave with tools they can use between sessions.

Laidley often works with stress, anxiety and low mood. He also helps people facing grief, life changes, career questions and parenting strain. There is a focus on identity and relationship-related concerns, including issues common to LGBT people and difficulties around attachment, abandonment and isolation.

His approach is collaborative and grounded. Laidley uses Acceptance and Commitment Therapy to explore values and action, Client-Centred Therapy to follow each person’s pace, and Mindfulness Therapy to develop present-moment awareness. These methods are used in everyday language and tailored to each person’s situation.

With five years of experience in Australia, Laidley aims to make therapy approachable and practical. He helps people build insight and skills, and supports those ready to try different ways of coping and moving forward.

How Laidley’s approaches fit with online therapy

Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT) helps people clarify what matters to them and take steps towards those values, even when emotions are difficult. It can help with stress, low mood and uncertainty about life direction. Client-Centred Therapy focuses on following the person’s pace, offering empathic listening and space to make sense of experience. This approach supports people who feel overwhelmed or unsure about what to say. Mindfulness Therapy teaches simple attention skills to notice thoughts and feelings without getting swept away, which can ease anxiety and improve emotional regulation.

Finding the right approach is part of the work. Laidley will talk with each person about their goals, preferences and what feels most helpful. Together they decide which methods to try and adjust them as the work unfolds, so therapy matches real-life needs.

If you are considering online therapy, check the available session options before booking as formats are not specified here. Online work can make it easier to fit sessions into busy weeks, allow shorter check-ins when time is tight, and reduce the need to travel. Many people find that ACT and mindfulness exercises transfer well to remote sessions, and a client-centred stance supports a steady therapeutic rhythm even when meetings are online. Appropriately qualified or registered professionals can help clients plan sessions that fit their day-to-day life.