Anita Cottle

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Anita Cottle

MBACP Child and Adolescent Counsellor

Pronouns: She/Her

As a MBACP‑registered Integrative Child Counsellor, I have gained extensive experience supporting children and young people both in person and online. My practice is grounded in empathy, playfulness, and a commitment to helping young people build emotional resilience and secure relationships.
I draw on a range of creative and therapeutic approaches, using a person-centred approach to tailor each session to the unique needs of the child, empowering them to take the lead in their own healing journey. My training provided a strong foundation in trauma‑informed practice, attachment theory, child development, and safeguarding. I have delivered over 400 hours of online counselling to children and young people aged 6–22, alongside completing 150 clinical hours in schools and a family support charities. My experience includes supporting neurodivergent young people and those navigating complex emotional challenges. These roles have deepened my understanding of diverse family experiences and strengthened my passion for making a meaningful difference in young lives.
Through My Therapist Online, I hope to connect with more children, young people, and families who may benefit from a creative, relational, and child‑centred therapeutic space. I’m also looking forward to expanding my online practice and contributing to a platform that values accessible, high‑quality mental health support.Specialities

Experience

Conditions & Difficulties Treated

Specialist Areas

  • Anxiety

  • Anxiety - Stress

  • Anxiety - Generalised (GAD)

  • Anxiety - Panic / Panic Attacks

  • Anxiety - Fears of abandonment

  • Anxiety - Social

  • Depression - Low Mood

  • Depression - Seasonal Affective Disorder

  • Eating Disorders - Over Eating & Weight Loss

  • Grief / Bereavement / Loss

  • Low Self-Esteem

  • Procrastination

  • Relationship - Attachment issues

  • Anger

    Commonly Treated Difficulties

  • ADHD

  • Autistic Spectrum Disorder (ASD)

  • Alexithymia - difficulty identifying/ expressing  emotions

  • Body Image Problems

  • Pregnancy, Prenatal, Postpartum

  • Family Issues - Adoption

  • Family Issues - Blended families

  • Family Issues - Conflict

  • Loneliness

  • Health conditions - Acute / Long Term

  • Perfectionism

  • Relationship - Codependency

  • Relationship - Communication difficulties

  • Life transitions

  • Work - Bullying

  • Work - General Problems

  • Work - Stress

  • Trauma - Childhood Trauma

Therapeutic Approaches & Models

  • Integrative Therapy

  • Person-centred therapy

  • Mindfulness          

  • Psychodynamic therapy          

Anita works with:

  • Children (Under 10 years)

  • Adolescents (10 - 15 Years)

  • Adolescents (16 - 18 Years)                                     

Health Insurance Companies registered with:

Professional Training & Accreditations

  • Diploma in Child Counselling at the Institute for Arts in Therapy and Education, completed 2020

  • Registered Member MBACP, Register number 392292

  • Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT) is an evidenced based & well researched talking therapy. It is recommended by the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) for many mental health problems.

    It is most commonly used to treat anxiety and depression, but can be useful for many other mental and physical health problems.

    CBT focuses upon how your thoughts and behaviours impact upon your emotions and physical symptoms.

    CBT is collaborative treatment and typically involves doing homework tasks between appointments.

    It aims to teach you to become your own therapist, teaching you tools so you can keep using the strategies and techniques you have learned after you have finished therapy.

  • Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT) is a modern, evidence-based form of therapy that helps people change their relationship with difficult thoughts, feelings, and experiences, rather than trying to eliminate them. ACT recognises that distress is a natural part of being human, and focuses on building psychological flexibility — the ability to respond to challenges in ways that support wellbeing and personal values.

    In ACT, you learn skills to notice thoughts and emotions without becoming overwhelmed or stuck in them. This includes developing acceptance, mindfulness, and compassion, alongside identifying what truly matters to you. Therapy then supports you to take meaningful, values-led actions, even when life feels difficult.

    ACT can be particularly helpful for anxiety, depression, trauma, chronic health conditions, stress, and difficulties with self-esteem. It is often used alongside other therapeutic approaches, such as CBT, and is tailored to each individual’s needs and goals.

    Rather than aiming to “get rid” of uncomfortable feelings, ACT helps you create a richer, more meaningful life by learning to make space for your internal experiences while moving toward what matters most to you.

  • Dialectical Behaviour Therapy (DBT) is an evidence-based therapy that helps people understand and manage intense emotions, improve relationships, and cope more effectively during times of distress. It was originally developed to support people who experience strong emotional reactions, but is now widely used for a range of mental health difficulties.

    DBT focuses on building practical skills across four key areas: emotional regulation, distress tolerance, mindfulness, and interpersonal effectiveness. These skills help individuals respond to challenging situations with greater balance, self-awareness, and confidence.

    A core principle of DBT is the balance between acceptance and change. Therapy validates how difficult experiences feel, while also supporting you to develop healthier ways of coping and relating to yourself and others.

    DBT can be particularly helpful for difficulties such as emotional disregulation, self-harm, relationship difficulties, trauma, and certain personality-related challenges. Therapy is collaborative, structured, and compassionate, helping people feel supported while working towards meaningful and lasting change.

  • Compassion-Focused Therapy (CFT) is an evidence-based therapy that helps people manage self-criticism, shame, and emotional overwhelm, while developing greater self-compassion and emotional resilience. It was originally developed to support individuals who struggle with high levels of self-criticism or shame, but is now widely used for a range of mental health difficulties.

    CFT focuses on developing compassionate mind skills, including self-soothing, mindfulness, and understanding the balance between threat, drive, and soothing systems in the brain. These skills help individuals respond to difficult thoughts and emotions with greater kindness, clarity, and balance.

    A core principle of CFT is cultivating compassion towards oneself and others. Therapy helps you recognise and reduce harsh self-judgment, while building confidence, emotional regulation, and supportive ways of coping.

    CFT can be particularly helpful for difficulties such as anxiety, depression, trauma, perfectionism, low self-esteem, and difficulties managing self-criticism or shame. Therapy is collaborative, structured, and compassionate, supporting individuals to build lasting emotional strength and self-kindness.

  • Exposure and Response Prevention (ERP) is a highly effective form of Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT), most commonly used to treat OCD and anxiety-related difficulties.

    It involves gradually facing the thoughts, situations, or triggers that cause anxiety (exposure), while learning to resist the usual habits or behaviours used to reduce that anxiety (response prevention), such as avoidance, reassurance-seeking, or compulsions.

    Over time, this helps your brain learn that the feared outcome is less likely than it feels, and that anxiety can reduce naturally without needing to rely on unhelpful coping strategies. ERP is always done at a pace that feels manageable, with support from your therapist throughout.