Part 1 of 4
- Trauma and abuse support
- Strengths-based approach
- Mindfulness and compassion
About Madeleine
Madeleine Heffernan is a counsellor based in Cambridge who supports people facing stress, anxiety, depression, trauma and abuse, relationship and family difficulties, addictions, grief, and challenges such as ADHD and intimacy issues. She uses practical, person-centred work that aims to help someone feel steadier and more able to cope day to day. Madeleine believes people know their own story and draws on those strengths during therapy.
Her way of working mixes short-term tasks with deeper reflection. Sessions often involve listening, talking through life history, noticing unhelpful thought patterns, and trying small experiments between meetings. Madeleine may suggest tasks to try at home when clients want practical steps to change.
Psychodynamic ideas help make sense of how past experiences shape present reactions, while cognitive behavioural approaches look at how thoughts and behaviours interact. She also uses compassion-focused methods to build a kinder inner voice and may include mindfulness practices to manage stress and anxiety.
Madeleine has eight years of experience and is registered with the British Association for Counselling and Psychotherapy, BACP. She works with a broad range of concerns including caregiving stress, chronic pain and illness, body image, and separation issues. Sessions take place within the United Kingdom context and are delivered in English.
She offers messaging and live sessions at set times and answers messages daily during specified hours. To begin, clients complete an online matching questionnaire and then schedule according to her available slots.
Her way of working mixes short-term tasks with deeper reflection. Sessions often involve listening, talking through life history, noticing unhelpful thought patterns, and trying small experiments between meetings. Madeleine may suggest tasks to try at home when clients want practical steps to change.
Psychodynamic ideas help make sense of how past experiences shape present reactions, while cognitive behavioural approaches look at how thoughts and behaviours interact. She also uses compassion-focused methods to build a kinder inner voice and may include mindfulness practices to manage stress and anxiety.
Madeleine has eight years of experience and is registered with the British Association for Counselling and Psychotherapy, BACP. She works with a broad range of concerns including caregiving stress, chronic pain and illness, body image, and separation issues. Sessions take place within the United Kingdom context and are delivered in English.
She offers messaging and live sessions at set times and answers messages daily during specified hours. To begin, clients complete an online matching questionnaire and then schedule according to her available slots.
Part 2 of 4
How Madeleine uses therapy approaches online
Madeleine commonly draws on cognitive behavioural therapy and compassion-focused and psychodynamic ideas in her work. Cognitive behavioural therapy looks at the links between thoughts, feelings and actions and helps people try different responses to reduce distress. Compassion-focused work aims to develop a kinder inner voice and reduce self-criticism, which can help with anxiety, shame and low mood. Psychodynamic ideas pay attention to how past experiences influence current patterns and emotional reactions.Finding the best approach is a collaborative process. Madeleine will talk with each person about their goals and preferences, and together they will try methods that feel useful. Choices may change over time as new priorities emerge and progress is made.
This therapist offers live sessions and messaging at set times and replies to messages during specified daily hours, so check the session options before booking. Online work can make it easier to fit therapy around busy lives, reduce travel time, and allow short check-ins between meetings. It can also let someone choose whether to use video, phone or messaging when a scheduled live session is offered. Confirm the exact session formats and times when you book to make sure they match your needs.
Part 3 of 4
Areas of expertise
Primary focus
Also works with
AddictionsLGBTGriefIntimacy-related issuesEating disordersParenting issuesAnger managementCareer difficultiesCoping with life changesCompassion fatigueADHD
Additional focus areas
AbandonmentAging and geriatric issuesAttachment issuesAvoidant personalityBlended family issuesBody imageCaregiver issues and stressChronic pain, illness, and disabilityCodependencyCommitment issuesCommunication problemsControl issuesDependent personalityDissociationDivorce and separationDomestic violenceEating and food-related issuesEmptinessFamily of origin issuesFamily problemsFirst responder issuesForgivenessGuilt and shameImpulsivityIsolation / lonelinessJealousyLife purposeMen's issuesMidlife crisisMoney and financial issuesMood disordersObsessions, compulsions, and OCDPanic disorder and panic attacksPhobiasPost-traumatic stressPregnancy and childbirthSeasonal Affective Disorder (SAD)Self-loveSexual dysfunctionSexualitySocial anxiety and phobiaTraumatic brain injuryWomen's issuesWorkplace issues
Therapeutic approaches
Attachment-Based TherapyCognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT)Emotionally-Focused Therapy (EFT)Mindfulness TherapyPsychodynamic TherapySolution-Focused TherapyTrauma-Focused Therapy
Experience
8+ years
Credentials
See below
Languages
English
Part 4 of 4
Frequently asked questions
What kinds of problems does Madeleine help with?
She supports people with stress, anxiety, depression, trauma and abuse, relationship and family difficulties, addictions, grief, ADHD and many related concerns.
What is her therapeutic style like?
The work blends listening and reflective exploration with practical tasks. Madeleine balances deeper psychodynamic reflection with cognitive behavioural techniques and self-compassion work.
How much experience does she have?
She has eight years of experience working with a wide range of emotional and life difficulties.
What qualifications and location are listed?
She is registered with the British Association for Counselling and Psychotherapy, BACP, and practises in the United Kingdom.
Which languages are supported?
Sessions are offered in English.
Can people outside the UK work with her?
International clients are not currently accepted.
How are sessions arranged and what do they cost?
Cost varies with location and therapist availability; sessions use a subscription that can be cancelled at any time.
How do I start working with her?
Select the Start Therapy button, complete a short matching questionnaire, and then schedule sessions according to the therapist's availability.