Anita Cottle – Online Child and Teen Counsellor
Anita Cottle
BACP-Registered Integrative Child and Adolescent Counsellor
Pronouns: She/Her
✓ BACP-registered counsellor
✓ Specialist focus on children and teenagers
✓ Experienced in ADHD, autism and neurodivergence
✓ Creative and play-based online counselling
✓ Over 400 hours of online counselling experience
✓ Free 15-minute introductory call
Are you worried about your child or teenager and unsure how best to help? They may be feeling anxious or overwhelmed, struggling at school, withdrawing from family life or finding it difficult to explain what is wrong.
Anita Cottle is a warm and compassionate BACP-registered integrative counsellor with a particular focus on supporting children and young people. She works with anxiety, low mood, stress, bereavement, low self-esteem, family and relationship difficulties, school-related concerns and emotional regulation.
Anita also has extensive experience supporting neurodivergent children, teenagers and adults, including people with ADHD and autism. She adapts therapy to each client’s communication style, emotional needs, strengths and preferences, helping therapy feel accessible rather than overwhelming.
When working with younger clients, Anita uses age-appropriate creative and play-based techniques to help them communicate thoughts and feelings that may be difficult to express in words. With teenagers, she works collaboratively and without pressure, creating a confidential space in which they can feel heard, understood and respected.
Anita’s integrative approach draws on person-centred, attachment-based, humanistic and psychodynamic ideas. Rather than expecting every client to work in the same way, she tailors sessions to the individual and places a safe, trusting therapeutic relationship at the centre of the work.
Anita has delivered more than 400 hours of online counselling to children and young people, alongside 150 clinical hours within schools and family-support settings. Her work is trauma-informed and supported by training in attachment, child development and safeguarding.
Through therapy, Anita can help children and young people understand their emotions, develop healthier coping strategies, strengthen their confidence and feel more able to manage difficulties at home, at school and in their relationships.
Conditions & Difficulties Treated
Children and teenage mental health
Anxiety and excessive worry
Low mood and depression
Stress and feeling overwhelmed
Low self-esteem and confidence
Emotional regulation difficulties
Anger and difficult emotions
Loneliness and social isolation
Difficulty identifying or expressing emotions
Self-harm — subject to an individual suitability assessment
Neurodivergence
ADHD
Autism
Neurodivergent identity
Sensory and emotional overwhelm
Late diagnosis and adjusting to a diagnosis
Communication and relationship difficulties
School and life experiences
School anxiety and school-related difficulties
Bullying
Exam and performance pressure
Perfectionism
Procrastination
Life changes and transitions
Family separation or conflict
Relationships, family and attachment
Attachment difficulties
Fear of abandonment
Adoption-related experiences
Blended-family difficulties
Parent–child relationships
Friendship and peer difficulties
Family conflict
Trauma, grief and health
Childhood trauma and adverse experiences
Grief, bereavement and loss
Coping with acute or long-term health conditions
Pregnancy, prenatal and postnatal concerns
Body image concerns
Therapeutic Approaches & Models
Integrative Counselling
Person-Centred Therapy
Attachment-Focused Therapy
Humanistic Therapy
Psychodynamic Therapy
Creative and Play-Based Therapeutic Techniques
Mindfulness
Trauma-Informed Practice
Anita works with:
Children aged 8 and over
Teenagers and young people
Adults seeking support with neurodivergence
Parents seeking therapeutic support
Professional Training & Accreditations
Diploma in Child Counselling, Institute for Arts in Therapy and Education – completed 2020
Registered Member of the British Association for Counselling and Psychotherapy (MBACP)
BACP registration number: 392292
Training in trauma-informed practice
Training in attachment theory
Training in child development and safeguarding
Over 400 hours of online counselling experience with children and young people
150 clinical hours completed in schools and family-support settings
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Yes. Anita offers online counselling for children aged eight and over, teenagers and young people across the UK. She has extensive experience engaging younger clients online and adapts sessions to their age, communication style and individual needs.
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Anita supports young people experiencing anxiety, low mood, stress, low self-esteem, school difficulties, bullying, grief, family changes, relationship concerns and difficulty understanding or managing emotions. Suitability is considered individually so that each young person receives the right level of support.
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Yes. Anita has experience supporting children, teenagers and adults with ADHD, autism and other forms of neurodivergence. She adapts her approach around each person’s strengths, communication preferences, emotional needs and sensory experiences.
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Anita uses age-appropriate creative and play-based techniques, which may include drawing, stories, imaginative activities and visual resources. These can help children communicate experiences and emotions that they may find difficult to explain through conversation alone.
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The level of parental involvement depends on the child’s age, needs and circumstances. Anita will explain confidentiality and parental involvement before therapy begins. She aims to protect the young person’s therapeutic privacy while involving parents appropriately where this supports the work or where there are safeguarding concerns.
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The free 15-minute introductory call provides an opportunity to meet Anita, briefly discuss the support being sought and ask questions about how therapy may work. For a child or teenager, Anita can also explain how she establishes a safe and comfortable online therapeutic relationship.