James Costigan

James Costigan is a BACP counsellor with nine years' experience. He offers a calm, steady presence for people who find it hard to talk about pressure, stress or feeling lost. He aims to help clients slow down, notice patterns, and build clearer ways of handling difficult moments.

James commonly sees people struggling with anxiety, depression, addiction and relationship concerns. He also supports those facing work-related pressure, issues around intimacy, self-esteem struggles and questions about identity. He draws on experience from a corporate background to relate to professional stresses and performance expectations.

His approach focuses on building self-awareness and practical skills. Sessions emphasise understanding emotions, spotting unhelpful patterns, and trying small changes that make life steadier. He uses client-centred listening alongside cognitive behavioural techniques and mindfulness practices as tools in the work.

James works at a pace chosen with each person. He describes therapy as a collaborative process where the client’s goals guide the direction of sessions. Over time he helps people make sense of how past experiences affect present choices and supports them to move towards clearer decision-making.

People often come with issues such as addiction, ADHD, attachment and abandonment concerns, body image, codependency, and communication problems. James aims to help clients grow from those struggles and develop more confidence and calm in daily life.

How these approaches translate to online therapy

Client-Centred Therapy places the person’s experience at the heart of the work. The therapist listens openly, reflects what he hears, and follows the client’s pace to build clearer self-understanding. This approach helps with feeling overwhelmed, low mood and uncertainty about choices.

Cognitive Behavioural Therapy, or CBT, looks at how thoughts, feelings and actions connect. It uses straightforward exercises and experiments to test unhelpful thinking and try new behaviours. CBT is often used for anxiety, depression and patterns that keep problems going.

Mindfulness Therapy teaches simple attention practices to reduce reactivity and increase calm. It offers short breathing or noticing exercises that can help manage stress or intense emotions between sessions.

Finding the right mix is part of the process. The therapist will work collaboratively to decide which approaches suit the client’s needs and preferences. Goals and practical concerns guide whether more listening, skills practice or mindfulness fits best.

The original biography does not list specific session formats, so please confirm available online options before booking. Online work can make it easier to fit sessions around work, cut travel time and allow brief check-ins when needed. It also makes trying different tools between sessions more straightforward, such as short CBT homework or brief mindfulness practices.