Dr Jess Rayner
Every professional displayed on Counselling Directory has been independently verified by our team to ensure they have suitable credentials to practise.
This professional is available for new clients.
This professional is available for new clients.
About me
What I can help with
I offer compassionate and supportive therapy for a range of issues, with expertise working with anxiety, trauma, stress, burnout, low self-esteem and depression. I also have experience working with people managing long-term health conditions (e.g., chronic pain, fatigue, IBS) and tailoring therapy to support neurodivergent people.
Many of the people I work with come to me feeling low, stuck, or overwhelmed with a busy mind and difficult emotions. Sometimes people are not sure what's wrong, but somehow know they are not where they want to be in life, caught up in difficult thoughts, feelings, situations, or feeling unfulfilled.
About me
As a therapist, I aim to be down-to-earth and create a space where you can feel at ease to talk about what's going on, so that you get the most out of your sessions. As well as talking, I offer the opportunity to learn practical strategies and skills to manage difficult thoughts and feelings and improve well-being.
My experience comes from over a decade of study and applied experience in psychology, working in range of mental health and social care settings, including the NHS, charities and privately. I’m trained in a variety of therapy approaches, including traditional talking therapies and EMDR, an effective treatment for trauma.
What to expect from therapy
Our first sessions focus on understanding what's brought you to therapy, mapping out your difficulties and thinking together about what will support you.
We will then continue to meet regularly and use therapy approaches tailored to you. Often, mental health struggles are tied to past experiences - if so, in our sessions we can work through these together. I often incorporate techniques that connect the mind and body and work with the nervous system more generally, which can be helpful for people who haven't found traditional talking therapy effective in the past.
What Next?
It’s important to find a therapist who puts you at ease and is a good match for your needs. To help you decide, I offer a free, no-pressure, 15-minute initial consultation.
Training, qualifications & experience
- Doctorate in Clinical Psychology
- MSc Clinical & Health Psychology
- BSc(Hons) Psychology
- Compassion Focused Therapy for Pain Management
- Mindfulness Based Cognitive Therapy (8 Week Course)
- Acceptance & Commitment Therapy for Depression
- Accredited EMDR training (working toward specialist accreditation status)
Member organisations
school Registered / Accredited
Being registered/accredited with a professional body means an individual must have achieved a substantial level of training and experience approved by their member organisation.
The HCPC are an independent, UK-wide health regulator. They set standards of professional training, performance and conduct for 16 professions.
They keep a register of health professionals who meet their standards, and they take action if registered health professionals fall below those standards. They were created by a piece of legislation called the Health Professions Order 2001.
Registration means that a health professional meets national standards for their professional training, performance and conduct.
Areas of counselling I deal with
Other areas of counselling I deal with
Fibromyalgia
Therapies offered
Fees
£100.00 per session
Free initial telephone or online session
Concessions offered for
Health Insurance/EAP
Additional information
I offer reduced-rate sessions who might find it difficult to afford the full fee. Discounts can be negotiated, but are typically up to one-third off the standard rate. While I cannot guarantee availability, I will do my best to accommodate your needs—please feel free to ask.
When I work
| Mon | Tue | Wed | Thu | Fri | Sat | Sun | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Morning | |||||||
| Afternoon | |||||||
| Evening | |||||||
| Night |
Further information
I offer a free 15 minute initial chat (with no-pressure) to meet each other and get a feel for whether you would like to work with me and if my approach and skills are a good fit for you. Sessions are delivered online or in a quiet and comfortable therapy space in the heart of Cheltenham.
