Jo Edge

As a BACP registered, fully qualified Counsellor and Psychotherapist I help individuals to face personal, emotional and behavioural issues that are adversely affecting their lives. I offer both shorter term Counselling and longer term Psychotherapy to individuals over 18 years.

I offer a warm, supportive, non-judgemental and completely confidential service. Counselling and Psychotherapy is a very personal process and every client is unique. I am committed to working with every individual in a way that is tailored to their individual therapeutic needs.

More About the Therapeutic Process

Therapy offers you a safe, confidential place to talk about yourself, your life and anything that may be confusing, painful or uncomfortable.  It is a unique way to think and talk about yourself in a way that you often can’t do with family and friends. The structure of therapy means you have a place and time each week that is just for you, to reflect on whatever you choose. The sessions are regular and frequent to give as much continuity and support as possible and you will be encouraged to use the time for reflection. As a client you can bring whatever is foremost in your mind to the sessions, this can be feelings, thoughts, experiences, memories, dreams and together we will try to make sense of your feelings and behaviours to gain insight into these processes and to work towards more appropriate ways of coping and living.

In brief, the process involves meeting me on a regular basis and talking about things that really concern you. We work together to find a way through these concerns and improve your wellbeing. As a therapist, I bring my skills to listen to the way you feel about things and how this affects you and others, to reflect with you and to use my knowledge to bring other perspectives and ideas or ways of understanding yourself and your problems which you may not have considered.

Counselling and Psychotherapy can support you in making decisions about your life but my role as a Counsellor or Therapist is not to tell you what to do but to empower you as you gain a better understanding of yourself as a resource. This process should allow you to feel more informed in the choices you make, to support you in making changes and in developing solutions to problems, to do things differently and feel more confident in dealing with situations in a way that feels right for you, to move on in your life with a feeling of increased wellbeing.

At the heart of my work is an approach which accepts you the way you are without judgement, which is an essential aspect in a relationship of trust.

Over the course of the therapy you should feel informed, in control and comfortable with the process and it is part of my role to ensure this. This does not mean you may not feel uncomfortable at times or find it difficult to share very personal issues, it is natural to be anxious and I understand how difficult it can be to talk about problems and express feelings.  However in this process you will always be in control of what you talk about, how you talk about it and what you don’t want to talk about. Your feelings on what you want to share with me may change over time, this is also fine and perhaps to be expected. Please be assured my aim is to only ever proceed at a pace that is appropriate for you.

You should also feel free to ask any questions of me concerning your therapeutic process and our professional relationship and I will actively engage you in this by asking for regular feedback on your experience and how effective or ineffective you may find different aspects of our work together.

If you feel it is time to talk to a professional and you are interested in taking the time to explore and better understand yourself then Counselling and Psychotherapy can help to address problem areas and help you move forward in life.

Perhaps you are dealing with issues such as low mood, guilt, generalised anxiety, depression, discomfort with your identity or difficulty in expressing feelings or managing emotions. Relationship issues such as problems in relationships with partners, friends, family or work colleagues, dealing with changes such as separation or divorce, or a need to understand and develop relationships differently.

Work related or employment issues, under achieving, feeling overwhelmed or unable to cope, redundancy or potential loss of employment.

Study or exam related issues, feeling stuck or trapped, repeating unhelpful patterns of behaviour or finding yourself in familiar situations which you would like to change.

Dealing with changes or transitions in your life. Struggling with feelings of sadness, loss or bereavement, loneliness and isolation, alienation, break-up, betrayal, abandoment, harassment or discrimination.

Coping under pressure. Self destructive behaviours, sexuality or gender identity, sexual problems, physical infertility, miscarriage, stillbirth, abortion, pre and post natal depression, parenthood.

Crisis of faith, existential crisis or a desire to understand yourself better or to engage in a deeper exploration of self.

If you feel you do not feel identify with any of the categories above please still consider contacting me to discuss how I may be able to help. Counselling and Psychotherapy is a process in which you can gain greater awareness and understanding of the underlying causes of any symptoms, problem behaviours or difficult feelings you are experiencing. As each of us is unique, I would work with you to bring greater awareness and understanding to whatever you are going through.

Some clients feel that their problem may be too small to seek therapy and that they may be judged for this. Again, please consider getting in touch if you feel this way, functioning well in some aspects of your life whilst struggling in others can be an extremely challenging experience and it is appropriate to look for support.

I recommend we have an initial 20 minute call to discuss your needs and to consider whether you would like to take the next step to arranging a first session.

Initial and subsequent sessions range from £80.00 - £100.00 per session which is dependent on how we work together.

How do I take the First Step?

You can contact me by phone or email to ask further questions and to discuss why you are looking for counselling or psychotherapy at this time.

If I feel I can provide what you are looking for I am likely to suggest an initial meeting where we discuss in greater depth the difficulties or challenges you are experiencing and what you would like to achieve through counselling or psychotherapy. You also have the opportunity to meet me and we can see how it feels to work together.

If you have not experienced Counselling or Psychotherapy before, this first session is an excellent opportunity for you to gain a better understanding of what it entails and whether you feel this type of experience will be helpful for you.

You will be able to ask questions and to decide if you feel I can meet your needs as a client, whether you feel safe and comfortable with me and whether you feel we can develop a good working relationship. At the end of this session we will discuss the kind of ongoing help which might be needed, and whether we are both happy to proceed with the counselling or psychotherapy.

In the initial session we will also find time to discuss our therapeutic contract, where we agree to the basic framework in which the counselling or psychotherapy takes place. The contract includes agreeing on the regularity of your sessions which are normally 50 minutes in length at the same day and time each week, the length of the counselling or therapy contract, holidays and cancellations, ethics and confidentiality and payment.