Jackie Mcpike

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Counselling can be a daunting prospect but it is a very positive step for many people. Most of us experience difficulties at some time in our lives and our life issue can often feel impossible to change or overcome. A counselling relationship, with the right person, can allow you to explore your thoughts, feelings, and wishes concerning your life. It can be a space to come and experience the freedom to express how difficult things are, whilst being part of a secure relationship.

I offer a warm and confidential place for you to be heard without judgement.  As a person centred counsellor, I strongly believe in human resourcefulness. I believe that given the best environment possible, people can feel able to explore areas of their lives, at a pace which suits them.  Allowing ourselves the time and space to explore our issue/difficulty enables us to start the pathway to understanding.  Taking the decision, making ourself a priority and allowing the time to connect with a counsellor is very often the best step forward.

I entered the counselling profession after a twenty year career looking after young people accommodated by the local authority, further education teaching and education development work. Employed in these roles, I developed a firm belief that we all have a right to a feeling of wellbeing in our lives. I recall my professional counselling training and found it to be a very enlightening and fulfilling period. I work as a counsellor in order that I can be a part of bringing this into the lives of others. In our work I endeavour to build with you, a trusting and safe relationship, one which works to create understanding and positive change.

Over the last thirteen years, my counselling experience has been in both the voluntary and private sectors working with young people and adults. Whilst working within four charities, I spent time with families experiencing homelessness and poverty and specialising in work with adults who had experienced child/adult sexual abuse. Within the third charity, I offered support to people recovering from an addiction and people at risk of sexual exploitation. I later worked in a local hospice for adults and children offering bereavement counselling. I currently work in private practice, counselling 1:1 and training groups. I have a particular interest in working with both anxiety issues and chronic pain.  My interest lies in helping people understand how repressed difficult/painful emotions can show up in our bodies in the form of painful symptoms. The developments in neuroscience over the last two decades has made our understanding of chronic pain much more comprehensive.  I am passionate about working with and helping people understand how the brain and nervous system effect our experience of pain, be that in the form of anxiety, depression or a physical pain manifestation.

I work to offer a genuine relationship with my clients, one which enables them to progress on in their lives in a more accepting way. I also endeavour to offer the psychoeducation to clients so that they have a much deeper understanding of their nervous system and how to befriend it. I am a fully qualified counsellor with the British Association of Counsellors and Psychotherapists. I have solid experience in a range of settings and have worked professionally with both young people and adults. I work within the ethical framework of the BACP and fully respect its guidelines.