Profile / United Kingdom
Madeleine Heffernan, BACP
United Kingdom
BACP counsellor - anxiety and relationships
See online therapy options- CBT methods
- Psychodynamic work
- Mindfulness and EFT
About Madeleine
Madeleine Heffernan is a BACP counsellor practising in the United Kingdom with eight years' experience. She helps people with stress, anxiety, relationship and family concerns, trauma and abuse, depression, addictions, grief and a broad range of life challenges. She also supports issues around intimacy, eating and parenting, plus ADHD and compassion fatigue.
Her approach mixes time-focused work and deeper exploration. Madeleine uses Cognitive Behavioral Therapy to identify unhelpful thoughts and patterns. She also draws on psychodynamic ideas to look at how past experiences influence present feelings.
Sessions may include listening, talking through life events, and developing clearer ways of responding to difficulties. Clients are offered practical tasks and observations to try between meetings if they want to. Madeleine sometimes works with mindfulness and emotionally-focused ideas to help regulate strong emotions.
She describes the client as the expert in their own story and aims to work collaboratively. Communication outside sessions includes brief messaging up to an hour per week during set hours. Live sessions are held on set weekdays and use video, phone or instant messaging formats.
Madeleine’s background brings an interest in attachment, abandonment and identity-related concerns. Other areas she commonly addresses include caregiver stress, chronic illness, body image, codependency, dissociation and separation. People considering therapy are invited to start with a short matching questionnaire and schedule a first session.
How Madeleine combines approaches for online work
Madeleine commonly uses Cognitive Behavioral Therapy to help people notice negative thought patterns and test small behavioural changes. CBT is useful for anxiety, low mood and for practical problems where learning new skills matters.She also draws on Attachment-Based ideas to look at how earlier relationships shape current emotional responses. This can help when relationship patterns, abandonment fears or attachment issues are causing repeated distress. Emotionally-Focused Therapy is used to identify and work with strong feelings in the moment, which can aid conversations about intimacy and connection.
Finding the best approach is part of the work. Madeleine will discuss goals and preferences and then agree a plan with the client. That plan can combine short-term CBT tasks with deeper exploration from attachment or emotion-focused thinking depending on needs.
Session formats are described in her information: live sessions on set weekdays and messaging up to an hour per week. If you need other formats or exact scheduling details, confirm the current session options before booking. Online sessions can make it easier to fit appointments around work and family life, allow a shorter check-in when needed, and let people choose phone or video depending on how they prefer to communicate.
Areas of expertise
Primary focus
Also works with
Additional focus areas
Therapeutic approaches
Experience
8+ years
Listed in
United Kingdom
Languages
English
Frequently asked questions
What kinds of issues does she help with?
She works with stress, anxiety, relationship and family concerns, trauma and abuse, depression, addictions and grief, plus related areas like intimacy and eating issues.
How does she use CBT in sessions?
Cognitive Behavioral Therapy is used to spot unhelpful thoughts and behaviours and to try out alternative ways of thinking and acting. Sessions can include practical tasks to do between meetings.
What is her experience?
She has eight years of experience working with a range of emotional and relational problems in the United Kingdom.
What credential does she hold and where is she based?
She is registered with the British Association for Counselling and Psychotherapy, BACP, and practices in the United Kingdom.
Which languages are supported?
Sessions are offered in English.
Can international clients work with her?
She does not accept international clients at this time.
How are sessions organised and how much do they cost?
Cost varies with location and sessions use a subscription model that can be cancelled at any time; confirm the current fee structure before booking.
How do I begin if I want to see her?
Click the See online therapy options button, complete a short matching questionnaire, and schedule a first session.
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, use the crisis numbers.