Michele Junges-Stainthorpe , BACP

Michele Junges-Stainthorpe is an experienced counsellor and therapist who works with individuals, couples, children, young people and whole families. She supports people facing a wide range of concerns, including autism and neurodiversity, ADHD, depression and low mood, anxiety and stress, bereavement and grief, eating and body image issues, self-harm, life transitions, obsessive-compulsive disorder, post-traumatic stress disorder, anger, questions of gender and sexual identity, alcohol and substance related issues, relationship difficulties and the impacts of chronic illness.

Michele offers a warm, respectful welcome to children, teenagers and adults navigating life in a largely neurotypical world. She is fluent in French for those who prefer to work in that language and also has some knowledge of Russian and German, which can be helpful for clients with those language needs.

Her practice is flexible in method and tailored to each person's needs. Michele draws on a broad range of therapeutic techniques, including Schema Therapy, Cognitive-Behavioural Therapy (CBT), Person-Centred Therapy, DBT-informed approaches, Gestalt Therapy, Trauma-Focused Therapy, Mindfulness-Based Therapy, Clinical Hypnotherapy, Narrative Therapy, Play Therapy, Emotion-Focused Therapy and Solution-Focused Therapy. Her work emphasizes uncovering and processing the roots of unresolved issues so clients can move forward with clearer understanding and more effective coping resources.

Michele's professional background includes roles as a teacher, a school counsellor in an international school, work with private companies, voluntary organisations and private practice. She holds a BA in Counselling from Glasgow Caledonian University, a Professional Diploma in Therapeutic Counselling (BTEC 5) from South Tyneside College and a BA (Hons) in French, Russian and Politics from the University of Northumbria. She is a registered member of the British Association for Counselling and Psychotherapy (BACP) - the professional body for counsellors and psychotherapists in the UK.

Therapeutic approaches adapted for online work

Client-Centred Therapy places the person's own experience at the heart of the process, emphasizing empathy, active listening and a non-judgemental stance so clients can explore feelings and values and build self-understanding; it is helpful for people facing relationship difficulties, identity questions and life transitions.

Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT) focuses on identifying and adjusting unhelpful patterns of thought and behaviour, offering practical strategies and skills to manage anxiety, low mood, sleep problems and stress in day-to-day life.

Dialectical Behaviour Therapy (DBT) provides structured skills in emotional regulation, distress tolerance and interpersonal effectiveness, which can be especially useful for managing intense emotions, self-harm urges and turbulent relationships.

Finding the right therapeutic approach is part of the work. Michele collaborates with each person to assess needs, goals and preferences and to select or combine approaches that feel most helpful, adjusting the plan as progress is made and circumstances change.

Online therapy with Michele can take place by video call, phone session, live chat or text-based messaging, offering flexibility for people balancing work, family and other commitments. These remote options make it easier to maintain continuity of care, access support from different locations and choose the communication style that best suits the client's comfort and needs.