About James
James Costigan is a BACP counsellor with nine years' experience. He works mainly with men and offers a calm, steady presence to help people make sense of difficult feelings. He aims to help clients slow down, notice patterns, and build clearer ways of coping with life.
He focuses on practical change as well as understanding. Sessions look at emotions, behaviour, and the situations that trigger stress or anxiety. James draws on his background in corporate life to talk about work pressures, performance expectations, and career concerns in plain terms.
Background and approach
Many people come seeking help for depression, anxiety, relationship worries, addiction struggles including porn, and a general sense of being lost. He also works with issues around self-esteem, intimacy, LGBT concerns, ADHD, anger, and coping with life changes. Additional areas include attachment and abandonment, codependency, body image, and communication problems.
His approach combines client-centred talking, cognitive behavioural techniques to change unhelpful thoughts and actions, and mindfulness practices to reduce stress. Sessions move at a pace the person is comfortable with, balancing reflection with practical steps to try between meetings. James aims to be a consistent presence through the process, helping people build steadier ways of meeting challenges.
People who prefer straightforward language and a pragmatic focus often find this style helpful. Background and approach include an emphasis on listening and tailored plans. The work is collaborative and goal-aware, so each person leaves sessions with clearer next steps and skills they can use day to day.
What James works with
Everything James lists, in their own terms. LGBT is the reason James is listed here; the rest shows what else James works with.
- Stress, Anxiety
- Addictions
- Relationship issues
- Self esteem
- Career difficulties
- LGBT
- Intimacy-related issues
- Anger management
- Depression
- Coping with life changes
- Coaching
- ADHD
- Abandonment
- Attachment issues
- Avoidant personality
- BDSM, kink, and alternative sex culture
- Body image
- Caregiver issues and stress
- Codependency
- Commitment issues
- Communication problems
- Control issues
- Dependent personality
- Divorce and separation
- Drug and alcohol addiction
- Emptiness
- Family problems
- First responder issues
- Forgiveness
- Guilt and shame
- HIV / AIDS
- Hoarding
- Immigration issues
- Impulsivity
- Infidelity
- Isolation / loneliness
- Jealousy
- Life purpose
- Men's issues
- Midlife crisis
- Veteran and Armed Forces Issues
- Money and financial issues
- Narcissism
- Obsessions, compulsions, and OCD
- Paranoia
- Phobias
- Polyamory / non-monogamous relationships
- Process addiction (porn, exercise, gambling)
- Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD)
- Self-harm
- Self-love
- Sex addiction
- Sexual dysfunction
- Sexuality
- Smoking / vaping cessation
- Social anxiety and phobia
- Workplace issues
- Young adult issues
Approaches James lists
Listing an approach is not evidence of training in it. This directory copies what each counsellor names and does not check training records.
How his approaches translate to online therapy
Client-Centred Therapy focuses on listening, understanding and reflecting what matters to the person. Online sessions using this approach give space to talk through feelings and build self-awareness. Cognitive Behavioural Therapy, or CBT, looks at links between thoughts, feelings and actions and uses simple exercises to test new ways of thinking and behaving. It is useful for anxiety, low mood and stress. Mindfulness Therapy teaches practical attention exercises to reduce rumination and manage stress in the moment, often using short practices between sessions.Finding the best approach is part of the work. The therapist will explore goals, preferences and the issues you bring, and then agree a way of working together. That may mean trying different techniques to see what helps most, with choices decided collaboratively.
The biography does not list specific session formats, so please confirm current options before booking. Online counselling can make it easier to fit sessions into a busy life, for example by saving travel time or allowing a shorter check-in on a lunch break. It also lets people keep continuity of care when they are travelling or relocating. Registered or accredited professionals and therapists generally adapt tools and exercises so they work well in remote sessions while keeping focus on the practical changes people want to make.
Questions people ask about James
What kinds of concerns can be brought to therapy?
James helps with stress, anxiety, depression, addictions, relationship and intimacy-related issues, self-esteem, career pressures, ADHD, LGBT concerns, anger, and coping with life changes among other topics.
How would you describe his therapeutic style?
He combines a client-centred listening approach with cognitive behavioural techniques and mindfulness practices, mixing reflection with practical steps to try between sessions.
What is his background and experience?
He has nine years' experience and draws on prior corporate experience when discussing work or performance-related pressures.
What credentials and location are listed?
James is registered with the BACP and works from the United Kingdom.
Are sessions available in other languages or internationally?
Sessions are offered in English and international clients are accepted.
What session formats are offered?
The original biography does not list specific session formats; please confirm current session options before booking.
How does payment and cost work?
Cost varies with location and therapist availability; sessions run through a subscription that can be cancelled at any time.
How do I begin working with him?
Select the Start Therapy button, complete a short matching questionnaire, and schedule according to the therapist's availability.
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