About me
Hey there, I'm Jayne an Integrative Counsellor specialising in working with Stress, Anxiety, Burnout and Chronic Illness.
Are you?
- Overwhelmed with worry, panic, anxiety or feeling stressed and burnt out.
- Feeling like you have made life/relationship/career choices that no longer fit who you are now.
- Self-critical or perfectionist and strives to please others or find it hard to say no.
- Living with a chronic illness such as ME/CFS, Fibromyalgia or Long Covid.
- Feeling like old issues or patterns of living, are resurfacing again.
- Struggling with a loss of motivation or direction and feeling low in self-esteem, depressed or lonely.
- Generally feeling disillusioned or disconnected from yourself and the world.
- If so, you are definitely not alone and you are in the right place!
Life has really changed over the past few years and so many of us feel like we need to be striving even harder in an increasingly fast paced world to get back 'to where we were' or 'back to normal'. We have barely had time to stop and process the impact of what has happened to us personally and we may have a strong sense in ourselves that things feel very different for us now than they did before.
We are increasingly exposed to global worries, combined with the pressure to keep up and survive on a day to day basis. This can leave us feeling out of control, in a perpetual state of confusion and exhaustion which can impact every area of our life. You don't have to navigate this alone...
How can my approach help you?
No two people are the same and I work as an integrative therapist which means that I will consider your individual needs and circumstances and what approach might be a good fit. We will work with what is important to you in your present life but also consider how past experiences have shaped who you are now. Ultimately, we will work together to support you to make sense of your world and build a better understanding of yourself and others.
What is a session like?
You always lead what you wish to explore in the sessions and I won't tell you what to do, offer advice or judge what you share. You may have specific things that you want to work on or things might feel a bit more unclear- both are totally ok. I believe that the quality of therapy relationship can hugely support the outcome of your therapy goals and wishes and I always aim to build a deeply compassionate, engaging and collaborative space, where you have full permission to be you.
Going through therapy, usually has a bit of a rhythm to it- firstly the settling in phase where you will be building self- awareness and unpacking what is worrying or impacting on you. From this place, you can move more deeply into that understanding so that you can begin to thread things together and develop some clarity. From a new, different space or perspective you can then consider what change might look or feel like, now or in the future.
Feeling shifts between making progress and then feeling a bit stuck again, is totally normal and progress is not always linear. Sometimes we develop a better cognitive understanding of what is happening first, which is really helpful. Moving through our more difficult, painful and deeper seated feelings can take time, so it is important that you are patient and kind to yourself as much as you can be as you do the work.
Remember that small, incremental changes and focussing on your strengths and things that you are already doing to support yourself can also make a huge difference to how you feel overall. We will also discuss what would be helpful in between sessions to support you.
Some of the things I support with:
- Moving on from outdated narratives, labels, thought patterns or stories which contribute to anxiety or low mood.
- Recognising the impact of dysfunctional family dynamics and emotional abuse/trauma and how this shows up in other relationships.
- Build a better connection between body and mind so that you can feel more whole, regulated and 'in tune' with yourself and your needs.
- Working with survival or coping mechanisms that are protecting hurt or wounded parts of self.
- Connecting you back with lost/hidden parts of self which are more clear, caring and self- compassionate.
How often should I come along and how long for?
This very much depends on your individual circumstances and we can discuss this when we first meet. It is preferable to begin the work initially on a weekly basis wherever possible, as this will enable you to build a strong foundation and momentum. I work both short and long term, so there is no time limit to how long you should attend for, this will also depend on your therapy goals and wishes. We will review our work regularly to see how you feel it is going.
I currently offer sessions:
Monday- online/face to face (late afternoon/early evening)
Tuesday- (online) (all day and early evening)
Thursday and Friday- Face to Face in a lovely room in Cheltenham Road, (BS6)
I work with people from across the country, so if you are not based in Bristol- no problem! I love working face to face but also find you can build an excellent working relationship online and make great progress with your therapy. It's often more convenient for people with a busy schedule or living with an illness or energy limiting condition as it provides more flexible access. It may also be possible to combine both face to face and online throughout our time working together as and when space becomes available in the counselling room.
What are the next steps?
I offer a short introductory call. This is not a therapy session, it is an opportunity for us to discuss a bit further what you are looking for, ask any questions you might have and to give you the opportunity to decide whether I am the right fit for you.
Calendly link here: calendly.com/growinyourowndirection
Or you can email me directly if you have a quick question at growinyourowndirection@gmail.com
Looking forward to catching up with you soon!
'Jayne was absolutely amazing. How she was able to make me feel like she'd been a confidant that had been in my life for years was astounding.
I've never encountered such a great listener, I always found Jayne's ability to take me down a path, that I subconsciously really wanted to explore, utterly mind blowing. I could go on and on and on but I'd be here a very long while. Thank you'
Elle - Counselling client
Training, qualifications & experience
After 20 years as a professional working with children, young people and adults across the charity, NHS, Education and Private sector I have developed an in-depth understanding of shared challenges and barriers that we all face as human beings. I have been qualified as a counsellor for around 10 years.
I have worked extensively across a range of therapeutic services, notably in drug and alcohol, mental health, domestic abuse & sexual violence/health services as a therapist, trainer and also a senior manager in leadership positions. I also have extensive experience in working with young people and particularly enjoy working alongside students/young adults who are at a crucial and transitional point in their lives.
I am also a trained Coach, so if you are interested how a coaching approach may be able to support you, please do ask me about this.
Why do I do the work?
I have always been a staunch advocate for mental health and wellbeing whilst acknowledging the stigma and barriers that still exist. My own personal challenges with periods of chronic illness and mental health, alongside my training and experience, sustain my continued passion and investment in the work. I strongly believe that with time and the right support, healing and change is possible. These experiences have been invaluable because they have led me to shape my compassionate, practical, yet gentle trauma- informed approach, to integrate both the mind and body into my work with people at every stage of life.
Working with Diversity and Difference
I am on a (life-long) learning journey to ensure that I am working in an anti-oppressive way and strive to take accountability to reflect upon what characteristics I may bring or represent in a therapeutic space. I aim to deepen my understanding of the power and privilege that exists in society and the personal, cultural and structural barriers that oppression creates, particularly when they hold people back from seeking support.
Clinical Supervision
I also offer clinical supervision to professionals working in the well-being professions, including trainees and qualified practitioners, so please do ask me about this or visit my Supervisor Profile.
Helping you to feel comfortable on your journey
Whilst I take my work seriously and ethical practice is paramount, I always remind myself that I am human first- therapist second. I am incredibly down to earth, open to challenge and aim to bring lightness and humour where appropriate so that you can be fully yourself and we can build a strong, transparent working relationship together.
Some of my key qualifications are below, please feel free to ask about any of these.
- ACC in Coaching (ICF Accredited) (Optimus Coaching Academy- 2023)
- Diploma in Supervision (Advanced training status with NCPS- 2022)
- Advanced Diploma in Integrative Counselling (Iron Mill College-2014)
- Certificate in Counselling (University of the West of England-2010)
- PG (Dip) Youth and Community work (The University of St Mark and St John- 2007)
- BA (Hons) Drama and Education studies (The University of St Mark and St John-2006
- Some further training and development...
- 10/24- present- Mindfulness Teacher Training for Chronic Fatigue (BAMBA recognised)
- 03/24- 08/24- Neurodiversity in Coaching (Animas Coaching Academy)
- 10/23- 2/24- Racism & Developing Anti-Racist Practice (Brap)
- 10/23-12/23- Professional Certificate in Transpersonal Therapy (Iron Mill College)
- 10/22- Child Protection for Managers (KBSP Bristol)
- 6/22- Critical Whiteness (OTR)
- 09/22- Decider Skills Training- CBT and DBT skills for young people and adults (The Decider Ltd)
- 10/21-02/22- Leadership and Management Training (Skillshift)
- 08/21- Working with LGBTQ+ Young People (Neil Young)
- 06/20- Compassion Focussed Therapy (Kooth- in association with Compassionate Mind Foundation)
- 06/20- Level 4 Designated Safeguarding Lead (updated annually)
- 04/20- GDPR, Health & Safety, Equality & Diversity, Working with Autism/ADHD Awareness
- 1/20- Management Training (Linda Greenwood Training)
- 10/19- DBT Training (Dialectical Behavioural Therapy)
- 7/19- Youth Mental Health First Aid Instructor Course (MHFA England)
- 2/18- Acceptance and Commitment Therapy in schools (Trading with schools)
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
Fees
£60.00 per session
Concessions offered for
Additional information
I do hold a couple of concessionary slots, so do ask me about these.
When I work
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