Craig Johnson

Currently, I work Tuesday, Wednesday, and Friday evenings after 5 p.m. Weekday sessions are predominantly online, but I may have availability for a face-to-face appointment during weekday evenings; please enquire.

I work in person at my office in Cheadle Hulme on Saturday afternoons after 3 pm and Sundays PM.

If this availability doesn't suit you, please do get in touch as we may be able to find alternative options. 

My core commitment as an integrative therapeutic counsellor is to foster a space grounded in compassion, empathy, respect, and radical inclusivity. My practice is deeply informed by my own lived experiences, including navigating disability, mental health challenges, and societal perceptions of difference as a wheelchair user. This personal journey fuels my profound respect for diversity, equality, and the acceptance of all identities.

I work integratively, drawing flexibly on Person-Centred Therapy (PCT), Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT), and Transactional Analysis (TA) to tailor support uniquely to you. My approach is fundamentally collaborative and empowering. Whether you seek deeper self-understanding, strategies to cope with current challenges, or insights into relational patterns, I meet you where you are. I believe in your inherent potential for growth, healing, and building resilience, regardless of your starting point.

My academic background in sociology, gender studies, and Women’s Studies provides a crucial intersectional lens. This means I actively consider how overlapping factors like gender, disability, class, race, sexuality, and societal pressures shape your experiences and wellbeing. My goal is to offer a safe, authentic, and non-judgmental space where you can explore difficulties, reframe unhelpful patterns, and cultivate greater self-awareness and emotional clarity to move forward with strength. I am particularly passionate about supporting those who feel marginalised or misunderstood.

I welcome adults of all genders – women, men, trans, and non-binary individuals – for individual counselling. My practice is dedicated to inclusivity, especially for those navigating experiences of marginalisation or struggle.

Sessions last 50 minutes and can be scheduled weekly or fortnightly, depending on your needs and preferences. I offer flexibility through online sessions via a secure platform. For those preferring in-person meetings, I see clients face-to-face on weekends at my accessible office in Cheadle Hulme (please enquire for specific accessibility details if needed).

You can expect a warm, respectful, and confidential space where we work collaboratively. Together, we'll focus on your goals, whether that's processing difficult experiences, developing coping strategies, improving relationships, or enhancing self-awareness and confidence.

If you are seeking a counsellor who values authenticity, lived experience, and collaborative growth that empowers, supports and upholds you to discover who you really are and what you'd like to achieve, then I invite you to reach out either via email or telephone.  I offer an initial free 15-minute chat to see if we would be a good fit to work together therapeutically.

Your first session is a relaxed, open space where you set the pace. We’ll start by exploring what brings you to counselling—you’re welcome to share as much or as little as you feel comfortable. Together, we’ll clarify your hopes for our work, whether navigating a specific challenge, understanding yourself better, building resilience, or finding greater self-acceptance.

We’ll also co-create how we work:

• Discuss integrating approaches (PCT, CBT, TA) based on your needs.
• Outline practicalities (confidentiality, session frequency, cancellation policy, breaks and endings).
• If appropriate, I may invite you to complete brief questionnaires (GAD-7/PHQ-9) to gain insight into your current well-being, only with your agreement and to support our work.

This session focuses entirely on your needs—there are no mandatory forms or lengthy assessments. You decide what feels helpful as we begin your journey. I look forward to walking beside you as we start our work together. 

Remember, you're in control: Your comfort and sense of safety are as vital as the work itself. If our connection doesn’t feel like the right fit, there’s absolutely no obligation to continue. Finding a counsellor you trust is foundational to meaningful growth.