About Michael Clement Online Psychotherapist & Clinical Supervisor
My Journey to Person-Centred Psychotherapy
My journey to becoming an online psychotherapist has been long, varied, and, at times, deeply challenging. Looking back, each stage of my life has shaped not only who I am as a person but also how I work as a therapist today.
I was born and grew up in Durban, South Africa, during the 1960s and 1970s. My childhood was filled with family, friends, surfing, sunshine, and the extraordinary landscapes and wildlife of Africa. At the same time, I witnessed the inequalities, violence, and social divisions of apartheid. Those early experiences left me with a lasting curiosity about human nature, relationships, and the profound impact that our environments have on our emotional wellbeing.
After leaving school and completing my compulsory national service as a police officer, I spent many years searching for work that felt truly meaningful. Along the way, I worked in a variety of professions, including jewellery design, business management, architectural technology, general nursing, and midwifery. Although these careers were very different, each taught me invaluable lessons about people, resilience, and the many ways we respond to life's greatest challenges
Discovering Person-Centred Therapy & Human Connection
During my nurse training, I encountered the work of Carl Rogers, whose person-centred philosophy profoundly influenced the way I understood helping relationships. Rather than seeing people as problems to be solved or symptoms to be diagnosed, Rogers emphasized the importance of empathy, acceptance, and genuine human connection. Those core values have remained at the heart of my work as a psychotherapist ever since.
Over the years, my clinical practice has continued to evolve. While my work remains firmly grounded in classical person-centred therapy, it has also been enriched by relational and psychodynamic thinking. I am particularly interested in how our early experiences and significant relationships continue to shape how we see ourselves, relate to others, and experience the world today.
Above all, whether working with clients locally in Cornwall or through online counselling in London, Edinburgh, Cardiff, and across the UK, I believe that genuine healing takes place within safe, authentic relationships where people feel deeply heard, understood, and accepted.
Lived Experience, Compassion & Personal Growth
My own life has included personal experiences of trauma, bereavement, bereavement by suicide, work-related stress, redundancy, health challenges, religious abuse, relationship difficulties, and the ordinary struggles that come with family life.
Personal therapy has been one of the most transformative influences on both my life and my clinical practice. It taught me the immense value of being listened to with honesty, compassion, and without judgement. It continues to shape the kind of empathic therapist I strive to be for every client who sits with me online.
Clinical Experience, NHS Background & Professional Leadership
Alongside my private practice as an online psychotherapist in the UK, I provide clinical supervision for trainee and qualified counsellors and contribute to counsellor education as a Visiting Lecturer at the Cornwall Counselling Institute.
My wider community and clinical work includes:
Crisis & Community Support
Volunteer counsellor with We Are With You (formerly Addaction) and crisis volunteer with Shout, supporting individuals experiencing severe emotional distress, crisis, and panic.
Employee Assistance Programmes (EAP)
Providing short- and long-term psychotherapy for employees facing workplace stress, burnout, and complex personal difficulties.
30+ Years Healthcare Experience
Over three decades of clinical experience across healthcare, NHS nursing, midwifery, and psychotherapy. Working in health care has given me a deep appreciation of the complex relationship between physical health, emotional wellbeing, and social context.
Life Beyond Therapy
Outside my professional work, I have been married for over 40 years, am the father of three grown-up daughters, and a grandfather to my grandson. Based in Cornwall, I continue to find joy in surfing, cold-water swimming, walking, music, film, nature, and thoughtful conversations about philosophy, psychology, and spirituality.
I consider it a privilege to accompany people through some of the most difficult periods of their lives. Whether you are seeking online counselling in Cornwall, searching for an accredited online therapist in London, Edinburgh, or Cardiff, or looking for support anywhere in the UK, my hope is that together we can create a therapeutic relationship where you feel safe enough to explore your experience, discover new understanding, and move towards a more fulfilling way of living.
Qualifications & Professional Memberships
MA Counselling and Psychotherapy Practice (in progress) - Bath Spa University
BA (Hons) Counselling Studies and Supervision
Level 5 Diploma in Person-Centred Counselling
Foundation Certificate in Bereavement Counselling
Level 3 Award in Education and Training
Diploma in General Nursing & Diploma in Midwifery
Certificate in Primary Health Care
Professional Registrations & Certifications
BACP Accredited Member
(British Association for Counselling and Psychotherapy)
Member of the World Association for Person-Centred & Experiential Psychotherapy & Counselling (WAPCEPC)
Member of The Person-Centred Association (TPCA)
ASIST Certified (Applied Suicide Intervention Skills Training)
MHFA Certified (Mental Health First Aid)
Enhanced DBS Certificate
Get in Touch
Online Counselling Cornwall & UK-Wide
Choosing the right therapist is an important decision. Whether you are living locally in Cornwall or searching for trusted online counselling in London, Edinburgh, Cardiff, or anywhere else in the UK, I welcome you to get in touch to arrange your free initial online consultation.