Jan Kilroy-Jolley

Are you experiencing difficulties, feeling stuck and alone with your thoughts and feelings, and not knowing which way to turn? If you believe that you need help to take the next steps towards finding a solution, then I am here to support you and work with you through this process

How Can Counselling Help You?

I will help you gain a clearer perspective on whatever is troubling you. Together, we will identify what might be hindering you from reaching your full potential and what actions you may need to take to improve your situation. The aim of the therapeutic process is to help you make sense of your experiences, cultivate greater acceptance, connection, and trust in yourself, shift your behaviour and thoughts to those that are more productive, manage distressing feelings without avoiding them, and provide you with a supportive and non-judgemental space. As a result, you will be better able to address the difficulties that may be preventing you from living your life to the fullest.

My role is to walk beside you on your journey, giving you space and time to understand how your current or past circumstances may impact you. Working at your pace, I will endeavour to help you gain a deeper understanding of yourself and move towards achieving your desired outcomes.

How I work:

I am a qualified, experienced counsellor and an Accredited Registered Member of the National Counselling and Psychotherapy Society (MNCPS Acc.). I offer a safe, empathic, and confidential in-person and online environment where you can explore your personal difficulties without fear of judgement.

I work as an integrative counsellor, meaning I draw upon various approaches and methods, tailoring them to meet the needs of each individual I work with. The approaches/ methods I use are Person Centred Counselling, Acceptance and Commitment Therapy, Brainspotting, EMDR, Attachment-Informed EMDR, IFS-Informed EMDR, Flash Technique, Advanced Flash Technique, Rewind Technique, Emotional Freedom Technique, Grounding/ Self-Regulation Techniques, and Self-Care Strategies.

What is Brainspotting?

"Where we look affects how we feel" (David Grand, PhD)

Approved by the British Psychological Society, Brainspotting is a powerful relational, brain-body therapy used widely within Trauma. Brainspotting helps clients process and release core sources of emotional/ physical body pain, trauma, and various other distressing symptoms. It is found to be an effective treatment option for those experiencing Anxiety, Depression, Physical Illness (pain/ chronic fatigue), Stress, Complex Grief, PTSD, Phobias, Anger Issues, etc.

Evidence suggests that trauma is stored in the subcortical/ mid-brain (emotional brain), which regulates much of the body's activities. As a result, traumatic events can leave a physiological imprint on the body. Brainspotting allows the therapist to access a client's emotions on a deeper level, processing and releasing the neurophysiological effects of trauma, thus activating the body's innate ability to heal itself.

What is Emotional Freedom Technique (EFT)?

Developed by Gary Craig, EFT tapping, often described as acupuncture without the use of needles, is a model of healing which can help to reduce symptoms of anxiety, depression, chronic pain, stress, performance issues, limiting beliefs and trauma. According to Gary Craig, negative emotions, challenging memories,  and negative thoughts/ limiting beliefs are strongly influenced by our past experiences, which in turn can cause disruptions in our body's energy system. 

EFT involves using your fingers to gently tap on your body's acupuncture points, which are situated along the meridian lines of Chinese medicine. During a one-to-one session, I will help you tap into the issues troubling you and support you in making changes to help you move forward with your life.

What is EMDR?

Eye Movement Desensitisation and Reprocessing (EMDR) is a method of trauma therapy developed by Dr Francine Shapiro in the late 1980s. It is a method that accelerates the processing of traumatic, frozen memories and resolves fixed behavioural patterns.

What is an EMDR session like?

EMDR utilises your body's natural healing ability. After a thorough assessment and preparation phase or EMDR resourcing (coping skills to keep you calm and in the present moment), the client will be asked specific questions about a particular distressing memory. During the EMDR treatment, the client repeatedly focuses for short periods of time, simultaneously on distressing material as well as on an external stimulus, for example, bilateral eye movements led by the therapist, a tactile stimulus (hand or knee tapping) or auditory stimulation (bilateral music or sound). The client will then be asked to report on their experiences during each set of eye movements, etc. With repeated sets of eye movements/ tapping, the memory changes, losing its painful intensity and becoming a neutral memory.

What can EMDR be used for?

In addition to its use for the treatment of PTSD, EMDR has been effective in treating:

• Anxiety and panic attacks
• Depression
• Stress
• Phobias
• Sleep problems
• Grief
• Low self-esteem

Can anyone benefit from EMDR?

EMDR can accelerate therapy by resolving the impact of past traumas and allowing you to live more fully. However, it is not appropriate for everyone. The process is rapid, and any disturbing experiences, if they occur at all, last for a comparatively short period of time. Nevertheless, clients must be aware of and willing to experience the strong feelings and thoughts that sometimes occur during and after sessions. 

Who I Work With:

I have worked extensively with adults who have experienced issues related to:

• Historic childhood sexual abuse/ trauma

• Sexual assault

• Depression

• Anxiety

• Domestic abuse

• Relationship difficulties

• Divorce/ Separation

• Bullying

• Bereavement, Loss and Grief

• Self-Esteem

• Confidence

Experience:

Before and since qualifying as a counsellor in 2008, I have worked (within a voluntary and salaried capacity) in various settings (NHS, learning disabilities, younger people, adults and older demographics).

What is Online Counselling?

Online counselling involves engaging in therapy using internet technology, such as Zoom and telephone. You direct your therapy by selecting the method of communication you feel most comfortable with. You also choose the place and pace of your therapy to suit your needs.

Online counselling can provide an opportunity to explore a personal difficulty in a confidential and supportive environment. This may include expressing feelings that are painful, which most of us experience at certain times in our lives. When this happens, staying positive and coping with everyday life can be difficult. Online counselling can support a broad range of personal difficulties, but there are occasions where it would not be considered suitable, for example, when a client is at risk. If this applies to you, either when applying for support or during ongoing sessions, I will offer information on alternative sources of support from which you can make contact and request support.

Sessions:

I offer short, medium, and long-term counselling. This means we can adapt the number of sessions to best meet your needs, reviewing this continuously as we progress.

I am sensitive to the cultural and ethnic origins of individuals and to people's religious beliefs, gender identity, age, disability, and sexual orientation.

Contact Me:

I am happy for you to telephone or email me so that I can answer any questions that you may have or tell you more about how I work. Because I understand how important it is to find the right counsellor, I offer a free, no obligation, 30-minute Zoom or telephone consultation.

Counselling:
I charge £60 for a 60-minute session.

Payment will be made before each session and payable by bank transfer.

Initial Consultation:
I offer prospective clients a free, no-obligation, 30-minute in-person, telephone or Zoom consultation.

Monday (10:00am-18:00pm), Tuesday (11:00am-18:00pm), Wednesday (11:00am-18:00pm),Thursday (11:00-18:00pm), and Friday (11:00am-18:00pm)

I have developed and delivered workshops to volunteer counsellors, clients and third sector organisations, on issues encompassing Self-Harm, Self-Care, Stress Management, Positive Psychology and Grounding Techniques.