Sharmaine O'Keefe

• Stress and anxiety
• CBT and ACT
• Parenting support

About Sharmaine

Sharmaine O'Keefe works with stress, anxiety, parenting concerns, self-esteem, relationship and family matters, trauma and abuse, grief, eating difficulties and career issues using an integrative approach. She is a member of the British Association for Counselling and Psychotherapy (BACP) and has four years' experience in counselling.

Sharmaine combines several counselling methods rather than relying on a single model. She draws mainly on Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT), Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT), Solution-Focused Therapy and mindfulness techniques. In sessions she helps people talk through practical thoughts and behaviours, identify small changes, and plan steps they can try between meetings.

Her background includes work in private practice, senior school settings and charities. Before qualifying she worked as a lawyer, teacher and lecturer, experience she uses to support clear discussion about practical problems such as workplace stress, study pressure, and career decisions.

Sharmaine also offers support for body image, eating and food-related issues, family of origin concerns, fertility-related distress, jealousy, midlife change, multicultural matters, panic and phobias, post-traumatic stress, pregnancy and childbirth questions, social anxiety, women's issues and workplace difficulties. She explains approaches in straightforward language and focuses on achievable steps rather than abstract theory.

Sessions are conducted in English and she works from the United Kingdom. International clients are not currently accepted. Cost varies with location and sessions use a subscription that can be cancelled at any time.

How her approaches shape online counselling

Sharmaine uses Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT) to help people spot unhelpful thought and behaviour patterns and to try practical exercises that reduce distress. CBT is often used for anxiety, panic, phobias and low mood. Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT) focuses on noticing painful thoughts without fighting them and choosing actions that match a person's values; it can help with stress, life changes and persistent worry.

Sharmaine treats finding the right method as a collaborative process. She will discuss what feels useful, explain different options in plain terms, and agree a plan with the client based on their goals and preferences. Sessions can include practical tasks to try between meetings and regular review of progress.

The original biography does not specify which session formats are offered, so please confirm current session options before booking. Online counselling can make it easier to fit sessions around work, childcare and travel, and it can allow shorter check-ins or sessions without video when that suits a client. Registered and accredited professionals often use online work to keep continuity of care and to reduce time spent travelling, but exact arrangements should be checked when you book.

Topics Sharmaine lists

• Stress and anxiety
• Parenting issues
• Self-esteem
• Coping with life changes
• Relationship issues
• Family conflicts
• Trauma and abuse
• Grief
• Eating disorders
• Career difficulties
• Depression
• Body image
• Eating and food-related issues
• Family of origin issues
• Fertility issues
• Jealousy
• Midlife crisis
• Multicultural concerns
• Narcissism
• Panic disorder and panic attacks
• Phobias
• Post-traumatic stress
• Pregnancy and childbirth
• Social anxiety and phobia
• Women's issues
• Workplace issues
• Young adult issues

Ways of working

• Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT)
• Client-Centred Therapy
• Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT)
• Mindfulness Therapy
• Solution-Focused Therapy

Questions about Sharmaine

Does she work with anxiety?

Yes. Anxiety and panic symptoms are listed among the areas she supports, including social anxiety and panic attacks.

What kind of counselling does she offer?

She uses an integrative style drawing mainly on Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT), Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT), Solution-Focused Therapy and mindfulness techniques.

What experience does she have?

She has four years' experience counselling people in private practice, senior school settings and charities.

Is she registered with a professional body and where is she based?

She is a member of the British Association for Counselling and Psychotherapy (BACP) and is based in the United Kingdom.

Which languages are sessions offered in?

Sessions are offered in English.

Can I see her from outside the UK?

International clients are not currently accepted.

How much do sessions cost?

Cost varies with location and 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.