About me
Here to listen…
I’m James, a qualified and experienced counsellor from Chestnut Counselling, offering confidential therapy for adults in the Selby area and online across the UK.
You don’t need a particular understanding or perfect way to explain what’s going on. Maybe you feel stuck, overwhelmed, or just tired of carrying too much by yourself. Chestnut Counselling offers a safe, supportive space for you to explore your thoughts, feelings and emotions - without judgement, pressure, or expectation.
Whatever you’re facing, you don’t have to face it alone
I work in a collaborative, open-ended way that respects your pace and individuality. My approach is humanistic and integrative, rooted in empathy and authenticity - and based on the idea that lasting change comes through developing deeper self-awareness and a stronger sense of self.
Clients come for many reasons. Some arrive with something clear they want to work on. Others may be living with anxiety, depression, or the impact of trauma. You might be navigating relationship difficulties, low self-esteem, grief, or ongoing stress - or just feeling stuck, emotionally exhausted, or disconnected from others or yourself. Sometimes there’s no clear reason, just a sense that something isn’t right, or that you no longer recognise the person you’ve become. There’s no one way to feel and no right place to begin.
How we work together
Chestnut Counselling offers flexible ways to access therapy, depending on what feels right for you:
- Face-to-face counselling in Selby (North Yorkshire)
- Online or telephone sessions from your own private space
- Walk & Talk therapy in local natural spaces, where possible to arrange
Whichever way we work, I aim to offer a confidential, thoughtful space where you can speak freely - without pressure or judgement.
Next steps
Because a trusting therapeutic relationship is one of the most significant aspects of the counselling process, choosing the right counsellor ‘for you’ is very important.
Chestnut Counselling offers a free (no-obligation) one-hour consultation so we can explore your therapeutic aims and see how comfortable you feel working with me.
If you’d like to know more, please feel free to visit the website or get in touch directly. You don’t need to have everything worked out to begin.
N.B. The number listed is WhatsApp-enabled - please feel free to message me if that feels easier for you.
Training, qualifications & experience
Training, Qualifications & Experience
I am an experienced and fully qualified counsellor with a Postgraduate Diploma from York St John University. I am a Registered Member of the British Association for Counselling & Psychotherapy (MBACP) and dedicated to providing an ethical, professional service. I am also fully insured and DBS checked.
I have been in practice since 2018, including five years experience in both college counselling (16+) and community mental health, addiction, and crisis services. I have a prior background in brain injury rehabilitation, supporting individuals with traumatic brain injury and their families. I now work solely with adult clients aged 18 and over.
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
Other areas of counselling I deal with
Traumatic Brain Injury
Therapies offered
Fees
£35.00 - £40.00
Concessions offered for
Additional information
Initial one hour consultation - free of charge
Please note - sessions last for one hour
- £35.00 per session, online
- £40.00 per session, face-to-face
- Rates for ‘walk and talk’ therapy by arrangement
The above hourly rates can be reduced by £5.00 per session for block bookings of 6 sessions paid in advance.
Chestnut Counselling values accessibility for all and strives to maintain affordable rates, offering further concessions for low income clients, and to better support those with longer-term therapeutic aims.
When I work
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I offer a limited number of sessions each week, allowing for a wider range of appointment times and greater flexibility where needed.
