About Zach Cairns — BABCP‑Accredited CBT Therapist, Cheadle Hulme
Who I Am
I’m Zach, a BABCP‑accredited Cognitive Behavioural Psychotherapist based in Cheadle Hulme, supporting adults, young people and families across the local area. My work is grounded in evidence‑based practice, compassion and a strong commitment to neurodiversity‑affirming care. I specialise in adapting CBT for autistic and ADHD individuals, ensuring therapy feels accessible, respectful and genuinely helpful.
My background includes working in residential children’s homes, community mental health settings and private practice. These experiences have shaped a therapeutic approach that is collaborative, structured and tailored to the unique needs of each person I work with.
🌱 My Therapeutic Philosophy
Across my work in different sectors, one thing has always stood out: therapy only works when it is shaped around the individual. My focus is to make every aspect of therapy genuinely tailored to your needs, while grounding the work in evidence‑based practice. This is especially important for neurodivergent individuals, who are often expected to fit into therapeutic models that were never designed with their experiences in mind.
Through my clinical experience, I’ve seen how taking time to understand each person’s communication style, sensory needs and processing preferences can transform therapy from something overwhelming into something accessible and effective. My aim is to create a space where therapy adapts to you—not the other way around—so you can engage with support in a way that feels safe, respectful and meaningful.
🧩 My Clinical Experience
Working in residential children’s homes helped me develop practical approaches that support young people’s communication, learning styles and emotional regulation. A key part of this work involved helping families understand these needs in a clear, actionable way so they could build routines and relationships that supported growth and stability. Seeing how meaningful change could happen when the right support was in place inspired me to continue this work within CAMHS.
In Child and Adolescent Mental Health Services, I combined these skills with CBT formulation and evidence‑based interventions to support young people with complex mental health needs, including those who were neurodivergent. The work was not only individual but also systemic, involving close collaboration with schools, social workers and families to ensure that support was consistent across all areas of a young person’s life. This experience deepened my understanding of how mental health difficulties develop, how systems influence wellbeing and how important it is to understand the root causes, not just the symptoms.
I also saw the limitations of public healthcare, where time, resources and service pressures can mean that therapy is cut short or cannot be delivered at the pace someone truly needs. This is one of the reasons I moved into private practice. My experience across these sectors allows me to offer genuinely person‑centred care that is not restricted by external pressures. I can work at your pace, focus on your values and strengths, and tailor therapy to your goals in a way that feels meaningful, sustainable and grounded in evidence.
How I Work
I offer a calm, predictable and supportive space where you can explore your experiences at a pace that feels right for you. Therapy is always a partnership: we work together to understand what’s going on, identify patterns that may be keeping you stuck, and develop practical strategies that support meaningful change.
My approach integrates:
- Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT)
- Compassion‑Focused Therapy (CFT)
- DBT‑informed skills
- Neurodiversity‑affirming adaptations for Autism and ADHD
This allows therapy to be flexible, structured and responsive to your communication style, sensory needs and processing preferences.
Who I Support
I work with:
- Adults
- Young people
- Families
- Autistic and ADHD individuals (diagnosed or self‑identified)
- People experiencing anxiety, depression, trauma, OCD‑related difficulties, emotional overwhelm, panic, social anxiety and stress
Many of the people I support are navigating the impact of neurodivergence on daily life, relationships, identity or wellbeing. Others are seeking support with specific difficulties such as anxiety, low mood or trauma. You do not need a diagnosis to access therapy.
Training & Professional Background
I hold:
- BSc Psychology
- MSc Cognitive Behavioural Psychotherapy
- Specialist training in CBT for Autism and ADHD and DBT skills
I am fully accredited with the British Association for Behavioural and Cognitive Psychotherapies (BABCP), which means my practice meets national standards for CBT training, supervision and ethical care.
Where I Work
I am based in Cheadle Hulme, offering therapy to clients within a 3–5 mile radius, including Bramhall, Cheadle, Gatley, Heald Green, Handforth and Hazel Grove. I also work with people from further afield when travel is convenient or when online sessions are preferred.
My practice is easy to reach from across Stockport and South Manchester, with straightforward transport links and parking options nearby.
What You Can Expect
- A warm, structured and collaborative approach
- Clear goals and shared decision‑making
- Adaptations that support your communication and processing style
- Practical tools you can use between sessions
- A focus on understanding, not pathologising and your experiences
Therapy is always tailored to your needs, whether you’re seeking short‑term support or longer‑term work.
Safeguarding and Data protection
I hold full professional indemnity insurance
Data Protection & Privacy (GDPR): Please see an example of a therapy contract below which details information collected.