Janet O'Connell

Hello, I'm Janet. Qualified for 16 years, I am an experienced, accredited therapist who can support you if you are feeling anxious, sad, lost or overwhelmed. I can help you to work through present difficulties and/or distressing events from your past.

My clients find me to be friendly, approachable and down to earth. I'm very happy for you to contact me to ask any questions and find out more about counselling and how I work, before deciding if you want to make an appointment.

I am an experienced counselling tutor, counselling service manager and clinical supervisor. As an integrative counsellor/psychotherapist, I am comfortable working with different counselling approaches.

August 2021 update - Unfortunately, I currently have no availability for counselling or supervision.

Individual Counselling

Talking to a counsellor can help you if you are struggling with anxiety, stress or depression.

I offer a professional and caring relationship which can also support you if you are going through a bereavement, relationship difficulties, unresolved hurt from your past, or any other difficult life event.

If you are feeling at a crossroads, stuck in a rut, or that everything is getting on top of you, coming to see a counsellor can help to provide clarity and support which in turn enables you to make any changes that you may decide are necessary.

Because it is so important to find the right counsellor, I offer an initial assessment session for £20. This is a 40 minute session which will give us plenty of time to meet and talk. It will be a chance for you to experience how I work, and what coming to me for counselling might be like, before deciding whether you would like further sessions. It will also give us time to discuss your situation and to see whether counselling is an appropriate form of support for you at this time.

My standard rate for individual counselling is £40 for a 50 minute session.

Couples Counselling

Usually, when you are thinking about coming to see someone to talk about your relationship it will mean that things already feel difficult.

Communication might have become strained and you may find that you are stuck having the same arguments all the time and not getting anywhere, or that you can no longer talk to each other about things at all.

This may be as a result of external pressures such as a bereavement, money worries, work or family problems. Or it may be due to a breakdown in trust, infidelity, pressures of parenting, a difference in priorities, illness or any number of other issues that are impacting on your relationship.

Counselling provides a neutral and respectful place for you both to commit some time and care to your relationship, to explore how you have got to where you are now and what you can do to improve things.

I have a Certificate in Couples and Relationship Counselling. My role is to help you to communicate better - to talk with and listen to each other with openness, kindness and respect. Positive change can happen quite quickly if you both really want to work towards this.

Counselling can help you to move closer as a couple and learn how to work in partnership rather than pulling against each other. Or, if you decide that is no longer possible, or what you want, counselling can help you to bring the relationship to a close and support you both in this process. We will also work to ensure that, whenever possible, a positive co-parenting relationship is maintained.

The initial consultation is for 1 hour and costs £50. In this meeting we will spend some time looking at how things are in your relationship at the moment and what the best way to proceed might be.

If you decide you would like to have some further sessions, these cost £50 per 1-hour session.

Relationship counselling is not only available to couples. Siblings, parent/child relationships can all experience difficulties, and can benefit from counselling.

Counselling for young people

I provide counselling for young people aged 16 and over.

I have many years experience in counselling teenagers and managed a college counselling service from 2006-2013. Throughout this time I supported young people through a range of difficulties including bereavement, depression, anxiety, feeling lonely or isolated, academic stresses, family difficulties, self harm, and struggling with transition into adulthood.

Counselling provides a confidential and safe place for young people to talk through their worries, learn about themselves and their relationships and develop positive ways of managing difficulties.

Whilst I am happy to take initial referrals from parents, carers, schools, or GPs, any contract going forward will be with the young person themselves, and their right to confidentiality will be respected.

Personal Therapy or Supervision for Student Counsellors

If you are just starting out on your diploma or FdA/FdSc then undertaking personal therapy will either be a requirement of your course, or at least be encouraged. Personal therapy provides a space for you to process your experiences on the course and also to explore your own self, personal history and patterns of relating.

As well as working in private practice, I have several years experience as a counselling tutor and have also managed a counselling agency. Throughout this time I have provided personal therapy and supervision for many student counsellors from the early stages of their training though to graduation and beyond.

Do contact me if you would like to make an appointment for a free initial session. Regular sessions for personal therapy or supervision are then offered at the reduced rate whilst you are in training.

Supervision
I have been a qualified supervisor for 12 years and have supported many student and qualified counsellors both as private supervisees and also as counsellors within a counselling agency. I worked as a counselling tutor for several years and as an agency manager, and am very aware of the challenges student counsellors face and the importance of the supervision relationship.

I believe supervision should be supportive, stimulating and restorative, where you have a safe space to openly explore all elements of your client work and professional development and feel valued and held as well as challenged.

Costs for supervision - £40 per hour for student counsellors; £50 per hour for qualified counsellors.