Joel Burns

• Stress and anxiety
• Addiction support
• Parenting issues

About Joel

Joel Burns works with stress, anxiety, trauma and abuse, grief, parenting concerns, depression, addictions and relationship or intimacy-related issues. He uses acceptance and commitment ideas, client-centred listening and cognitive approaches to help people talk through current problems and longer-term patterns. Joel holds NCPS as a credential and has six years' experience working with adults in the United Kingdom.

He focuses on how past relationships and experiences shape present behaviour. In sessions he helps people notice repeating patterns, name difficult feelings and try out different ways of responding. Conversations aim to increase awareness and practical coping rather than only talking about problems.

Joel uses a mix of methods, including Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT), client-centred therapy and cognitive behavioural techniques. He also draws on existential ideas and motivational interviewing to help people examine values and decide on meaningful action.

He describes his practice as collaborative and educative. Sessions may include learning coping skills, building insight, problem solving and setting small, achievable goals. The emphasis is on helping people develop skills they can use between sessions.

Originally from the United States, Joel has worked and studied in several countries and supports people from a wide range of backgrounds. He aims to help people with fatherhood issues, attachment and family of origin matters, addiction, midlife concerns, isolation and questions about life purpose.

People can expect practical, plain-speaking counselling that focuses on real-life change, awareness and the development of personal resources.

How his approaches work for online counselling

Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT) helps people clarify what matters to them and practise small actions that reflect those values. It is often useful for anxiety, low mood and when someone feels stuck. Client-Centred Therapy focuses on careful listening and responding so the person can explore feelings and make their own decisions. Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT) looks at links between thoughts, feelings and behaviours and teaches practical strategies to change unhelpful patterns.

Choosing a therapeutic approach is part of the work. Joel will discuss different methods with the client and agree on what to try based on the person's needs, goals and preferences. That collaborative process can include trying an approach for a few sessions and then reviewing progress together.

Confirm the available session formats before booking because the biography does not list them. In general, online counselling can make it easier to fit therapy around work and family by removing travel time, allowing shorter check-ins and offering sessions from different locations. It can also suit people who prefer not to use video, when a phone call or other format is more practical due to bandwidth, camera use or a need for a briefer check-in.

Topics Joel lists

• Stress and anxiety
• Trauma and abuse
• Grief
• Parenting issues
• Depression
• Addictions
• LGBT
• Relationship issues
• Intimacy-related issues
• Eating disorders
• Sleeping disorders
• Anger management
• Self-esteem
• Career difficulties
• Bipolar disorder
• Coping with life changes
• Coaching
• Compassion fatigue
• Abandonment
• Attachment issues
• Codependency
• Commitment issues
• Domestic violence
• Drug and alcohol addiction
• Family of origin issues
• Family problems
• Fatherhood issues
• Guilt and shame
• Infidelity
• Isolation and loneliness
• Life purpose
• Men's issues
• Midlife crisis
• Money and financial issues
• Multicultural concerns
• Obsessions, compulsions, and OCD
• Phobias
• Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD)
• Self-love
• Social anxiety and phobia
• Workplace issues
• Young adult issues

Ways of working

• Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT)
• Client-Centred Therapy
• Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT)
• Existential Therapy
• Motivational Interviewing
• Narrative Therapy
• Solution-Focused Therapy

Questions about Joel

Does he help with anxiety and panic?

Yes. He works with stress, anxiety and panic using cognitive and acceptance-based methods to reduce distress and build coping skills.

What kind of counselling does he offer?

He works in an integrated, pluralistic way drawing on Acceptance and Commitment Therapy, client-centred therapy, cognitive behavioural techniques, existential ideas and motivational interviewing.

How much experience does he have?

He has six years' professional counselling experience in the United Kingdom and internationally.

What are his credentials and where is he based?

He holds NCPS as a credential and practices from the United Kingdom.

Can I see him if I live outside the UK?

He accepts international clients and offers sessions in English.

What session formats are available?

Please confirm current session options before booking, as the biography does not specify which formats are offered.

How much do sessions cost?

Cost varies with location; sessions use a subscription that can be cancelled at any time.

How do I get started with him?

Use the Talk to a counsellor online button, complete the short matching questionnaire and schedule a first session.