Paula McKee, BACP

Paula McKee is a compassionate counsellor who draws on 14 years of client work in education, bereavement and private practice. She holds BACP accreditation, and she aims to offer calm, attentive space for people facing stress, anxiety, loss and relationship strain. Paula describes herself as empathic and sensitive to difference and diversity.

She makes time to listen and to map how past attachments shape present relationships. Paula uses a mix of client-centred listening and solution-focused work to help people identify small, practical steps forward. That can be useful for midlife crossroads, career re-evaluation, or shifting family roles.

Her background includes many placements across inner and outer London education services and bereavement settings. Paula also has experience with neurodiversity and with issues connected to having left one’s country of birth, which she notes draws on her own lived experience.

Paula describes herself as trauma informed and aims to create a non-judgemental space for working through early traumatic experiences at a pace that suits the person. She focuses on helping people develop insight and new coping strategies rather than promising quick fixes.

In practical terms she often combines gentle exploration with goal-oriented tools. People seeking help with parenting stress, addiction concerns, grief, self-esteem or sleep disruption may find this blend helpful. Her working days often include Tuesday and Wednesday and some evening appointments, and clients are advised to check current time slots before booking.

How Paula's approaches work for online counselling

Paula draws on client-centred and solution-focused ways of working alongside an attachment-informed perspective. Client-centred work means the person’s experience guides the session and the therapist offers empathic listening to help make sense of feelings and choices. Solution-focused techniques concentrate on small, practical steps and clear goals to move things forward between sessions. Attachment-informed thinking looks at how early relationship patterns shape current reactions and helps people spot repeating dynamics in relationships.

Finding the right approach is part of the therapeutic process. Paula will work collaboratively to identify which methods fit a person's needs, goals and preferences. That might mean spending some sessions on open listening, then bringing in goal-setting tools when the person feels ready to try them.

If you are considering online work, please confirm the session formats offered before booking. Online counselling can make it easier to fit sessions into a busy week, reduce travel time and allow shorter check-ins or evening appointments. It can also allow people to use quieter surroundings or avoid needing to be on camera when that helps them engage. Registered or accredited professionals can adapt these approaches to work effectively in remote sessions, tailoring length and focus to match everyday life commitments.