Counsellor profile
Joel Burns, NCPS
United Kingdom
Psychotherapist - Codependency and relationships
Continue with JoelWhere Joel stands
- Credentials
- NCPS
- Registration
- NCPS, United Kingdom / NCS22-02756
- Experience
- 6 years
- Languages
- English
- Location
- United Kingdom
About
- ACT and CBT
- Client-centred
- Motivational interviewing
About Joel
Joel Burns is a psychotherapist registered with NCPS and has six years of professional experience in the United Kingdom. He works with people dealing with stress, anxiety, depression, trauma and abuse, addictions, grief, parenting strains, relationship and intimacy issues, and codependency.
He keeps sessions practical and straightforward. He helps people notice patterns that come from past relationships and family of origin issues. He talks through unhelpful habits such as people-pleasing, difficulty saying no, and trouble setting boundaries. Work often includes learning coping skills and ways to manage mood changes and urges.
Joel draws on Acceptance and Commitment Therapy and Cognitive Behavioural Therapy to address thoughts and behaviours that get in the way. He uses client-centred ideas to listen carefully and motivational interviewing to support change when needed. Sessions can also include narrative and existential perspectives to help people find meaning and direction.
His background includes work in counselling, sport, education and social work across several countries. That experience shapes his interest in multicultural life and in the pressures people feel from different roles, including fatherhood and career demands. He supports people from diverse backgrounds and sexualities.
Therapy aims here are practical: build awareness, learn coping strategies, and increase autonomy. The first sessions typically look at what matters most now and what small steps feel doable. Clients who are ready to reflect on past patterns and try new ways of relating may find this approach useful.
How sessions work
How his approaches translate to online sessions
Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT) helps people notice thoughts and feelings without getting overwhelmed, then choose actions that match their values. It can help with anxiety, avoidance and problems tied to relationships. Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT) focuses on spotting thought patterns and testing them with practical exercises to reduce distress and change behaviours. Client-Centred Therapy centres the client's own experience, with the therapist listening and responding to what matters most to the person. Finding the right mix of approaches is part of the work. Joel will discuss goals and preferences with each person and adapt techniques together. That collaborative decision-making helps make sessions feel relevant and focused on practical steps. Please confirm current session formats before booking as they are not listed here. Online work can make it easier to fit therapy around daily life, for example by reducing travel time or allowing shorter check-ins during a break from work. Some formats are simpler when video is difficult, while others use exercises suited to sitting and talking. Registered or accredited professionals and therapists often tailor exercises and homework so they fit day-to-day routines rather than relying on long in-person sessions.Areas of focus
Areas of expertise
Primary focus
Also works with
Additional focus areas
Therapeutic approaches
Experience
6+ years
Listed in
United Kingdom
Languages
English
Questions
Frequently asked questions
Does he help with people-pleasing and boundary issues?
Yes. He works with patterns like people-pleasing, difficulty saying no, and codependent behaviours.
What is his therapeutic style like?
He uses a practical, integrated approach combining ACT, CBT and client-centred work to teach coping skills and build insight.
How much experience does he have?
He has six years of professional experience working in counselling and related fields across several countries.
What are his credentials and where is he based?
He is registered with NCPS and practises in the United Kingdom.
Can I have sessions in a language other than English?
Sessions are offered in English.
Does he work with clients outside the UK?
International clients are accepted.
How are sessions arranged and what formats are offered?
Please confirm the current session formats before booking, as options are not specified here.
How much do sessions cost and how are payments handled?
Cost varies with location; sessions use a subscription that can be cancelled at any time.
Details come from information the counsellor supplied to BetterHelp. A registration can be checked with the body that issued it.
Online talk therapy is not emergency care. If you are not safe at home, use the crisis and helpline numbers.