Helen Johnson
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This professional is available for new clients.
This professional is available for new clients.
About me
Hello, I am Helen.
I work as an adult psychotherapeutic counsellor and psychotherapist from my beautiful private practice located in the centre of Newcastle Upon Tyne.
I work with a wide range of issues, with adults of all ages and backgrounds. The most prevalent issues are anxiety, depression, low self-esteem, and low-self confidence.
I also have a great deal of experience working with bereavement, grief and loss, trauma, and family issues.
As someone with both professional and personal experience of working with Neurodiversity (Autism, Dyslexia and ADHD), it is important to me that I provide an environment that is neurodiversity-affirming.
I have a particular interest in working with individuals struggling with chronic ill health. My aim is to support individuals to not only come to terms with whatever they may be suffering from but also to better understand and manage their health, and well-being.
If you decide to work with me I will offer you a safe, secure, confidential and compassionate space, where you are free to talk about whatever is on your mind. I am absolutely passionate about helping and supporting individuals to live a happier, healthier and fulfilled life, something we ALL deserve! For me it is a real privilege to be a therapist and to witness healing and transformative changes in my clients.
Seeking therapy is a brave step to take, and it certainly isn't easy. It takes commitment, openness and honesty which can feel incredibly vulnerable. I know this to be true from my own personal experience of having therapy myself.
I also understand that beginning the process of finding a therapist can be confusing, daunting, and overwhelming, especially when you are already in distress! There are so many therapists to choose from who use different psychotherapy approaches. So how then do you choose the right therapist for you?
Below is a basic explanation of the approaches I use. It is worth noting that there is little evidence that any approach is more effective than another. What is evident, however, is that both the expertise of the therapist and the quality of the relationship between you and the therapist you choose is what ultimately determines the success of any therapy.
I am an Integrative, Humanistic, Relational and Holistic Therapist.
Integrative is seen as a more modern approach to therapy. Its philosophical stance is that no single approach to therapy is suitable for every client, as each person is seen as unique and distinctive. In other words, it recognises that a 'one size fits all' approach to therapy will not be effective. This means that I adapt and integrate multiple modalities and techniques depending on your needs and goals.
Humanistic is an approach that views human beings as unique individuals, and inherently relational, with the capacity for growth, self-awareness and to reach their full potential given the right support. It is thought that our subjective experiences in relationship are what shape us into who we are, which is why this approach supports a more relational way of working. It also puts emphasis on the autonomy of the individual through working in a collaborative way. This approach also supports a more holistic and positive view of human nature.
Relational means that I place the therapeutic relationship (the interaction between client and therapist) at the heart of my work, regardless of the issues you may bring. Therapy is a relational and collaborative process in which the quality of the therapeutic relationship is what ultimately serves as the agent of change, allowing growth and learning. Both in my own personal therapy and in my work with my clients I have witnessed how utterly transformative and healing a genuine, trusting, caring, and accepting relationship can be. It creates a space perhaps for the first time where you can experience the intimacy of a safe and secure relationship, and where you can be free to explore aspects of your experience, along with previously unknown, hidden parts of you that have been exiled.
Holistic means that I work with the whole of a person's being, that is the mind, body, heart, and spirit. I will help you to develop awareness of the connections between your thoughts, physical experiences, emotions, and spiritual understandings, therefore supporting healing on all these levels. Holistic approaches incorporate more non-traditional therapies such as guided imagery and mindfulness.
My core training is in Transactional Analysis which is a theory of personality and relationships which falls under the humanistic approach. I use this as it helps both you and I to understand the way you experience the world, yourself, and those around you. This is particularly useful to improve communication skills and relationships.
I am a highly creative individual, and having a degree in art and design helps me to utilize many creative methods that I am trained in, which can be incorporated into my practice where appropriate and if desirable, such as mindfulness and meditation (Yoga Nidra), guided imagery, story-telling and metaphor, poetry, dreamwork, sand tray, drawing, collage and painting.
I am also a focusing oriented therapist which further supports my creative way of working. Focusing is a gentle yet powerful body-orientated process of self-awareness and emotional healing. It helps individuals to sense inside and connect more deeply with themselves, and to be able to listen and connect in a new and more satisfying way with others. Focusing works particularly well with trauma. It helps people to explore their trauma in a way that feels gentle and safe, serving as a bridge between the body and mind, and in turn creating a unique connection that help individuals to process their trauma, fostering deep and transformative healing.
All these approaches work together to help better suit the individual needs of each person, emphasising the collaborative nature of and importance of the therapy relationship. This ensures that I work in a way that considers everything that is going on for you so that we can work together in a way that best supports your mental health and well-being and helps you to reach your goals.
If you would like to read about my background and my journey to becoming a therapist, then please feel free to have a look at my website.
Training, qualifications & experience
- UKCP and BACP Accredited Diploma in Psychotherapeutic Counselling.
- Registered member of the BACP.
- BA(Hons) in Art & Design
I have undertaken seven years of training with the Northern Guild in Psychotherapeutic Counselling and Psychotherapy. I have now been in practice for over six years and have worked with a wide range of issues, with adults ranging from 18 to 76 years old, at various GP practises.
Member organisations
BACP is one of the UK’s leading professional bodies for counselling and psychotherapy with around 60,000 members. The Association has several different categories of membership, including Student Member, Individual Member, Registered Member MBACP, Registered Accredited Member MBACP (Accred) and Senior Registered Accredited Member MBACP (Snr Acccred). Registered and accredited members are listed on the BACP Register, which shows that they have demonstrated BACP’s recommended standards for training, proficiency and ethical practice. The BACP Register was the first register of psychological therapists to be accredited by the Professional Standards Authority (PSA). Accredited and senior accredited membership are voluntary categories for members who choose to undertake a rigorous application and assessment process to demonstrate additional standards around practice, training and supervision. Individual members will have completed an appropriate counselling or psychotherapy course and started to practise, but they won’t appear on the BACP Register until they've demonstrated that they meet the standards for registration. Student members are still in the process of completing their training. All members are bound by the BACP Ethical Framework and a Professional Conduct Procedure.
Accredited register membership
The Accredited Register Scheme was set up in 2013 by the Department of Health (DoH) as a way to recognise organisations that hold voluntary registers which meet certain standards. These standards are set by the Professional Standards Authority (PSA).
This therapist has indicated that they belong to an Accredited Register.
Areas of counselling I deal with
Therapies offered
Photos & videos
Fees
£60.00 per session
Free initial telephone session
Additional information
I offer a free, no obligation telephone consultation. This is a chance for you to have a chat with me about what's bringing you to therapy. This also gives you the opportunity to ask any questions you may have. Usually this lasts around 15 minutes.
From here we can arrange an in-person assessment session. Here I will seek to find out in more depth about you, your life experiences and the things you are struggling with. This can also help you to decide if you would like to work with me before making a commitment to doing the deeply healing and transformative work of therapy. This last 90 minutes and is £60.
When I work
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My current availability is: Monday 10am - 7pm / Tuesday 10am - 7pm / Thursday 10am - 7pm / Saturday 11am - 2pm.
Further information
What I can offer
What I offer is a compassionate, empathetic and safe environment where we will work together to build a genuine, trusting relationship and strong therapeutic bond. As a relational therapist, this is paramount, no matter your reason for seeking therapy. Together we will explore your issues, experiences, feelings and behaviours, and how they relate to the way you view yourself, others and the world, and in turn how they impact your life. With new insights and awareness come new options for growth and change, whilst helping you to relate to yourself, others and the world in way that is more satisfying, and allows you to be more spontaneous so that you can become more wholly yourself.
If you decide to embark on this journey with me you will discover lots about yourself along the way. I believe everyone is capable of healing, growth and transformation, and deserves to live a happy and fulfilled life. We are all works in progress, and no matter our age we can improve our lives.
