Anna Koolen

BACP

United Kingdom

Compassionate counsellor for practical change

Continue with Anna

At a glance

Credentials

BACP

Registration

BACP, United Kingdom / 394778

Experience

5 years

Languages

English

Location

United Kingdom

Details come from information the therapist supplied to BetterHelp.

1. • Motivational interviewing
   • Collaborative style
   • Support for addictions

   About Anna

   Anna Koolen is a counsellor with five years of professional experience based in the United Kingdom. She works from the belief that each person knows their own story and brings strengths to difficult situations. Anna aims to support people taking the first step toward a more fulfilling life and offers a steady, respectful presence during that process.

   She commonly helps people facing stress, anxiety, low mood and grief. Anna also supports those coping with addictions, ADHD and relationship struggles. Practical worries like career crossroads, midlife questions and blended family issues are included alongside deeper concerns such as attachment, guilt and shame.

   In sessions she draws on Motivational Interviewing and Client-Centred approaches to help people find their own reasons to change and to feel heard. She also uses Existential and Psychodynamic ideas to look at life meaning and how past patterns affect current choices. Conversations are aimed at clarity rather than jargon, and Anna encourages small, manageable steps between sessions.

   Her style is warm and collaborative. She listens first, then helps people identify options they can try. Work may include talking through difficult feelings, noticing patterns, and setting simple goals to test new ways of coping.

   People from different backgrounds and cultures are welcome to bring their concerns. Sessions are carried out in English and international clients can be supported through the booking process.

2. How Anna's approaches shape online counselling

   Anna blends Motivational Interviewing with Client-Centred work to help people find their own reasons to change and to feel genuinely heard. Motivational Interviewing focuses on drawing out a person's own motivation and testing small changes, which can help with addictions, procrastination and managing health-related behaviours. Client-Centred Therapy puts the person's experience at the heart of sessions, offering empathic listening and acceptance to build trust and clarity.
   
   She also uses Existential and Psychodynamic ideas to consider life meaning and recurring patterns, helping people connect present struggles with past experiences and values. Finding the right mix of approaches is part of the therapeutic process; Anna offers a collaborative conversation about goals, preferences and what feels most helpful as therapy progresses.
   
   If you are considering online sessions, please confirm the available session formats when you book. Many people find remote counselling easier to fit around work and family commitments, and it can make shorter check-ins or more frequent meeting patterns simpler to manage. Talk with the therapist about how you prefer to work and which practical arrangements will help you engage consistently.

4. Areas of expertise

   Primary focus

   Stress, AnxietyAddictionsGriefSelf esteemCoping with life changes

   Also works with

   Relationship issuesTrauma and abuseCareer difficultiesDepressionADHD

   Additional focus areas

   Attachment issuesBlended family issuesCodependencyCommunication problemsControl issuesDivorce and separationDrug and alcohol addictionEmptinessGuilt and shameIsolation / lonelinessLife purposeMidlife crisisMulticultural concerns

   Therapeutic approaches

   Client-Centered TherapyExistential TherapyMotivational InterviewingPsychodynamic Therapy

   Experience

   5+ years

   Listed in

   United Kingdom

   Languages

   English

5. Frequently asked questions

   What sorts of issues does Anna help with?

   She works with stress, anxiety, depression and grief, and supports people facing addictions, ADHD and relationship difficulties. Other areas include career decisions, midlife questions and feelings of emptiness.

   How would you describe Anna's therapeutic style?

   Her approach is warm and collaborative, with an emphasis on listening and working from the client's strengths. Sessions focus on practical steps and clarifying options rather than on jargon.

   What is Anna's professional background?

   She has five years of professional experience supporting people with a range of concerns, including stress, anxiety and addictions.

   Which professional credential does she hold and where is she based?

   She is registered with the British Association for Counselling and Psychotherapy (BACP) and practices from the United Kingdom.

   Can sessions be held in languages other than English?

   Sessions are offered in English.

   Does she accept international clients?

   Yes, she supports international clients and can work with people outside the UK through the platform's matching process.

   How are sessions paid for and what does it cost?

   Costs vary with location and therapist availability; sessions use a subscription that can be cancelled at any time.

   How do I begin working with Anna?

   Use the Start Therapy button, fill in the short matching questionnaire, and then schedule according to the therapist's availability.

6. Online talk therapy is not emergency or medical care. Stopping or cutting down alcohol or other drugs can be unsafe without medical advice. In immediate danger? Crisis numbers

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