Richard Whitenstall

Richard Whitenstall BACP is a counsellor who has worked in community and charity settings for over a decade. He founded Get There Counselling in 2021 and has provided international sessions via an online platform since 2023. He writes and speaks about men's mental health and co-authored a book that supports the charity Mind.

Richard began counselling work in 2013 with placements at Hampshire charities No Limits and Cruse. He later set up and ran a counselling service for Positive21 in London from 2017 to 2019. He has also worked as a project worker supporting LGBT young people at risk of exploitation and abuse.

His clinical focus includes anxiety, stress, depression, grief and relationship challenges. He also helps people coping with addiction, ADHD, chronic pain or illness, and issues around intimacy and sexual culture including BDSM and kink. Divorce and separation is listed among the areas he supports.

Richard describes his style as client-centred and empowering. Sessions move at the client's pace and focus on practical changes while recognising what cannot be altered. He aims to build a clear plan that fits each person's goals.

Outside work he co-produces and co-hosts a podcast titled It's Not You, It's Them, which encourages open discussion of mental health. He holds registration with the British Association for Counselling and Psychotherapy, listed as BACP.

How his approaches translate to online work

Richard uses client-centred work to prioritise the person's experience in each session, ensuring conversations follow the client's concerns and pace. This approach can help when people need to feel heard and understood before making changes.

Cognitive Behavioural Therapy, or CBT, focuses on identifying patterns of thought and behaviour that maintain distress and testing simple alternative strategies. It can be useful for anxiety, depression, sleep problems and coping with life changes.

Solution-Focused Therapy concentrates on what is working and on small, achievable steps toward the client's goals. It is practical and goal-directed, which many people find helpful when dealing with relationship issues or major life transitions like separation.

Finding the right mix of approaches is part of the work. The therapist will discuss needs, goals and preferences and together decide which methods to try. This is a collaborative process and can change as therapy progresses.

The biography indicates he offers international sessions online but does not list specific formats. Please confirm the exact session types available before booking. Online sessions can make it easier to fit counselling around work, childcare or travel and can reduce time spent commuting. They also allow brief check-ins or longer therapy work depending on what a person needs and their schedule.