About
Chris Brotherton
I am a qualified male counsellor and CBT therapist. I work with men through online and telephone counselling across the UK, and in person in Southport.
I qualified as a counsellor in 2025 and have been practising since. Before that, my job was helping other people find theirs.
NCPS Accredited Registrant, MNCPS (Acc.)
What working with me is like
Understanding comes first
My work is rooted in therapeutic counselling, so your experience is the starting point. First I want to understand what is going on for you and what feels most pressing right now. The rest of the work follows from there.
Direct, but collaborative
I will ask questions, point out things I notice and sometimes challenge you when I think it could help. You can disagree with me, and you decide what to do with it.
Practical when useful
Sometimes talking is enough. Sometimes it helps to try something between sessions and bring back what you noticed. I won’t put an exercise in front of you just because a model says I should. You can read about how I use different therapy approaches.
How I got here
Recruitment was my first career, and I loved it. I spent more than 18 years in agency recruitment, working with international organisations and UK businesses. The part I enjoyed was the whole process - getting to know someone, helping them into work, and then seeing how much changed for them once they were there.
During Covid I was forced out of it. I had to find a different direction, and I chose counselling. The conversations are different now, but what interests me in them is the same - how someone makes sense of where they are, and what they want to do about it.
Drink and drugs are not abstract to me
My stepdad drank, and it made him violent. My brother went through addiction to cocaine and other drugs, and he is now several years sober. That is part of why I went on to qualify in drug and alcohol work. It does not mean I know your experience, and I will not assume I do.
Why Men’s Therapy UK
Working with men came out of research I did during my training. Alongside it I noticed something about private practice in the UK - plenty of male counsellors work privately, but there was no practice you could clearly recognise as being for men. I wanted to build one and put my name to it.
That is not an assumption that men all turn up with the same problems, or that you need a particular kind of counselling because you are one.
Outside the room
I moved to Southport from Preston with my partner, and we started our family here. Away from work I go to football matches and play video games. With the kids it is dads’ groups and time with family and friends. When I can, I travel, and I like learning about the culture and history of wherever I end up.
Training and professional accountability
Training & Qualifications
- Therapeutic Counselling (Person-Centred Therapy)
- Specialist qualification in drug and alcohol counselling
- Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT) - Level 5 Diploma (CPCAB)
- Focused Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (FACT) - training with Kirk Strosahl and Patti Robinson
- Brief therapeutic interventions - evidence-based
- Restorative Practice
- Single-Session Therapy (SST)
- Prevent Duty Trained
- ASIST-trained Suicide First Aider
- Safeguarding Adults
- Safeguarding Children
- Mental Health First Aid (MHFA) Champion
Memberships & Ethical Practice
- NCPS Accredited Registrant, MNCPS (Acc.)
- Addiction Professionals Advanced Practitioner Member
- Association for Infant Mental Health (AIMH)
- Monthly clinical supervision
- Fully insured, UK GDPR compliant
Frequently asked questions
What is your professional registration?
I am an Accredited Registrant of the National Counselling and Psychotherapy Society and an Addiction Professionals Advanced Practitioner Member. The About page links to my professional register entries.
Where can I read about your qualifications?
The training and qualifications section on the About page lists my counselling qualification and further training.
Why do you focus your practice on men?
I focus on men because that is where I have chosen to build my private practice. I do not assume you will think, feel or communicate in a certain way just because you are a man. The point is focus, not a stereotype.
How do you decide which therapy approach to use?
We start with what you want help with, not with a therapy label. My foundation is person-centred, and I may draw on CBT, FACT or Restorative Practice where they fit what we are working on. You can ask about any of it, and we change it if it is not useful.
Can I speak to you before deciding to book therapy?
Yes. The free welcome call is for exactly that: ask about working together and check availability. Therapy appointments are agreed separately.
free welcome call
Choose a time for your free call
A free welcome call to discuss what you want to work on and ask questions about sessions.
Open the calendar in a new tab
You’ll receive a confirmation email and reminders before your welcome call.