Melinda Best

• Addictions
• Relationship issues
• Coaching

About Melinda

Melinda Best helps people who are struggling with addictions, relationship problems, family difficulties, low self-esteem and people seeking coaching. She works from the view that each person understands their own story and already has strengths to build on. Melinda is a BACP counsellor and has 16 years of professional experience in the United Kingdom.

In sessions she listens for what matters most to the client and uses that as the starting point for practical work. Her approach draws on client-centred therapy, cognitive behavioural ideas, mindfulness and somatic techniques when helpful. She also uses motivational interviewing to support change and commitment to goals.

Clients who come for coaching or counselling can expect to talk through current struggles, look at patterns that keep difficulties going, and try simple new ways of responding. Melinda pays attention to felt experience in the body as well as thoughts and behaviour. Sessions are aimed at clearer thinking, improved coping, and steps that fit daily life.

She has worked across a range of issues including drug and alcohol addiction, caregiving stress, chronic illness and midlife concerns. Melinda also supports people facing guilt, forgiveness questions, infidelity and isolation. She brings 16 years' experience to help clients clarify priorities and plan next steps.

If you prefer direct, practical counselling that also attends to feelings and the body, Melinda may be a good match. Sessions are conducted in English and take place in the United Kingdom.

How her approaches work in remote counselling

Client-centred therapy focuses on listening and following what matters to the client, helping them to make sense of their situation and choose goals. Cognitive behavioural therapy looks at links between thoughts, feelings and actions, and uses practical exercises to test new ways of thinking and behaving.

Melinda will work with the client to decide which approach or combination fits best. She treats this as a collaborative process, adjusting methods to match the person's needs, goals and preferences rather than imposing a single way of working.

Confirm the available session formats before you book because the biography does not list specific options. Online sessions can make it easier to fit counselling into a busy week, reduce travel time and allow for shorter check-ins when needed. They can also suit people who prefer not to use video, for example if lower bandwidth or a brief phone update is a better fit for that day.

Topics Melinda lists

• Addictions
• Relationship issues
• Family conflicts
• Self-esteem
• Coaching
• Aging and geriatric issues
• Caregiver issues and stress
• Chronic pain, illness, and disability
• Commitment issues
• Communication problems
• Dissociation
• Drug and alcohol addiction
• Family problems
• Forgiveness
• Guilt and shame
• Infidelity
• Isolation and loneliness
• Life purpose
• Midlife crisis
• Multicultural concerns
• Process addictions
• Sexuality
• Social anxiety and phobia
• Workplace issues

Ways of working

• Client-Centred Therapy
• Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT)
• Mindfulness Therapy
• Motivational Interviewing
• Somatic Therapy
• Trauma-Focused Therapy

Questions about Melinda

Does she work with addiction?

Yes. She has experience with drug and alcohol addiction and related issues.

What kind of counselling does she offer?

She uses client-centred therapy alongside cognitive behavioural techniques, mindfulness, somatic methods and motivational interviewing.

How much experience does she have?

She has 16 years of professional experience working in the United Kingdom.

Is she registered with any professional body in the UK?

She is a BACP counsellor as stated in her professional details.

Can I have sessions in another language?

Sessions are offered in English only.

What session formats are available?

Please confirm the current session options before booking, as formats are not specified in the biography.

How much do sessions cost?

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

How do I start working with her?

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