Somatic-Therapists

The therapist listings are provided by BetterHelp and we will earn a commission if you use our link - at no cost to you.

Paula Appleton, BACP, NCPS

Experienced counsellor combining body and talking therapies

Book with Paula
PA Portrait of Paula Appleton

About Paula

Paula Appleton is a counsellor with 14 years of experience offering a practical, person-focused approach. She works from the United Kingdom and uses a blend of therapies to match the needs of each person.

Paula is listed with BACP and NCPS and can work with Deaf and hard of hearing people using British Sign Language and SSE at qualifying levels mentioned in her background. She draws on somatic ideas alongside cognitive and acceptance-based methods.

Book with Paula Now Review online therapy options and next steps on BetterHelp.

Background and approach

That means she pays attention to body sensations as well as thoughts and values when helping people manage stress, anxiety, trauma or addiction. Sessions are shaped around what a person brings and what helps them feel safer and more able to cope.

Paula commonly supports people with depression, grief, relationship and intimacy concerns, eating and sleeping problems, anger, low self-esteem and parenting strain. She also works with neurodiversity related issues such as autism and ADHD and with long-term health or caregiving stress. Her practice includes work on abandonment, attachment difficulties and body image concerns.

Therapy typically involves listening, practical exercises and small changes to daily routines. Techniques can include cognitive-behavioural strategies, acceptance and commitment ideas, attachment-focused conversations and body-aware practices. Paula adapts pace and methods to suit each person’s history and current needs.

Sessions are offered in English and American Sign Language. International clients can be seen, and online options make it possible to work from different locations. To begin, clients follow the site’s Start Therapy process to match and schedule sessions.

How Paula uses different approaches in online therapy

Paula combines somatic-informed work with acceptance and attachment ideas to help people in accessible online sessions. Somatic work pays attention to body sensations and breathing, which can help when stress or trauma shows up physically. Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT) focuses on values and small actions that move a person towards what matters, useful for anxiety, depression and coping with life changes.

Attachment-Based Therapy looks at patterns from past relationships and how they affect current connections and trust. Paula uses this to gently map relationship habits and to help people try new responses in day-to-day life. She approaches this as a collaborative process and will review methods with each person to find what fits best.

Finding the right approach is part of therapy. Paula will work with clients to choose methods based on their needs, goals and preferences. That collaboration may shift over time as different tools become more useful.

Online sessions are offered by video call, phone, live chat or text-based messaging, which gives flexibility for different schedules and comfort levels. These formats make it easier to access therapy from different locations and allow people to use the way of communicating that feels most supportive to them.
Book with Paula Now Review online therapy options and next steps on BetterHelp.

Frequently asked questions

What kinds of problems does she help with?
Paula supports people struggling with stress, anxiety, depression, trauma and addiction. She also addresses grief, relationship and intimacy worries, eating and sleeping issues, parenting strain and career or life changes.
How would you describe her therapeutic style?
The approach is practical and collaborative, blending body-aware work with talking therapies. Sessions may use cognitive techniques, acceptance-based ideas and attachment-focused conversations tailored to the person.
What background and experience does she have?
She has 14 years of counselling experience and draws on an integrative model to adapt methods for each person. Her work includes supporting people with neurodiversity, chronic illness and caregiving stress.
What credentials and location are listed?
Paula is listed with BACP and NCPS and practises from the United Kingdom. Those are the professional entries shown on her profile.
Which languages are available for sessions?
Sessions are offered in English and American Sign Language. She is experienced in working with Deaf and hard of hearing people using BSL and SSE at the levels stated in her background.
What session formats are offered?
Therapy can be delivered by video calls, phone sessions, live chat or text-based messaging. These options provide different ways to meet depending on personal preference.
How are costs and billing handled?
Cost varies with location and therapist availability and sessions use a subscription model. That subscription can be cancelled at any time.
How do I begin the process?
Start by selecting the Start Therapy button, completing a short matching questionnaire, and then scheduling according to the therapist’s availability.

Specialties and expertise

Top specialties

Also works with

Therapeutic approaches

Experience
14 years
Licensed
Languages
English, American Sign Language