- Mindfulness therapy
- Psychodynamic work
- Emotional processing
About Michael
Michael Harland is a BACP counsellor practising in the United Kingdom with five years' experience. He works with adults facing stress, anxiety, depression, grief and questions about life purpose. He also helps people with relationship and intimacy concerns, addictions, ADHD and the effects of trauma and abuse.
Michael describes his work as depth-focused. That means he pays attention to feelings beneath the surface rather than treating thought as the primary target. Sessions are often an opportunity to talk into emotions that people usually avoid or defend against.
He is clear about when depth work is and is not suitable. If someone is in a current crisis, has experienced extremely severe trauma, or has had non-drug-induced psychosis, he advises considering other approaches first. He explains this directly and will recommend a cognitive behavioural route when stronger coping skills are immediately needed.
In practice Michael combines psychodynamic ideas with mindfulness-based ways of noticing what is happening in the body and mind. That combination is aimed at helping people recognise repeated patterns and the feelings that drive them. He uses conversation, reflective listening and guided noticing rather than structured skill drills.
People who come to him often want help deciding what matters next after a change in work, relationships or health. He supports exploration of loss, identity and movement towards clearer priorities. To begin, he asks new clients to complete a short matching questionnaire and then schedule a first session.
How his approaches translate to online sessions
Michael uses psychodynamic ideas and mindfulness in his online work. Psychodynamic therapy focuses on patterns from past experience that repeat in the present. It helps when someone wants to understand recurring feelings and relationship habits. Mindfulness therapy asks people to notice bodily sensations, thoughts and feelings in the moment. It can be useful for anxiety, stress and becoming more aware of triggers.Choosing the right approach is part of the work. He collaborates with each person to decide whether psychodynamic exploration, mindfulness exercises, or a mix of both makes most sense for their goals and needs. That choice can change as therapy progresses and is checked in with regularly.
Confirm current session options before booking, as the original biography does not list formats explicitly. Many people find online sessions easier to fit into a working day, allow shorter check-ins when needed, or remove travel time. If quieter surroundings, less bandwidth or avoiding video are helpful, discuss those practicalities when you arrange the first meeting so sessions fit into everyday life.
Areas of expertise
Also works with
Additional focus areas
Therapeutic approaches
Experience
5+ years
Listed in
United Kingdom
Languages
English
Frequently asked questions
What kinds of problems does he help with?
He works with stress, anxiety, depression, grief and life purpose questions among many other concerns such as relationship issues, addiction and ADHD.
How does he approach feeling stuck?
He offers depth-focused psychodynamic work alongside mindfulness practices to help people access and name the emotions that underlie repeated patterns.
How much clinical experience does he have?
He has five years of experience working with adults across a wide range of psychological concerns.
What credential does he hold and where does he practise?
He is registered with the BACP and practises in the United Kingdom.
Are sessions offered in other languages?
Sessions are offered in English.
Can international clients work with him?
He accepts international clients.
How are sessions charged?
Cost varies with location and services use a subscription model that can be cancelled at any time.
What should I do to begin?
Select the See online therapy options button, complete a short matching questionnaire, and schedule a first session.
Online talk therapy is not emergency care. If you are in danger, use the crisis numbers.