Jill Bittle

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Pronoun: she
(MBACP) Serene Steps Counselling
Accepting new clients
Accepting new clients

This professional is available for new clients.

location_on Morpeth, Northumberland, NE61
Accepting new clients
Accepting new clients

This professional is available for new clients.

About me

Hello! My name is Jill and I'm a qualified integrative counsellor. I tailor my therapy to individual's needs and from experience, I'm aware that one type of therapy doesn't work for everyone. Whether you just want somewhere to talk and offload your feelings, or have a specific goal you're working towards, or whether you want to explore how you're feeling but don't have the words, I can help.

Person centred therapy is always at the heart of my counselling services and sometimes, using this type of therapy alone is all that is needed. This will give you the opportunity to talk about your problems, in a non judgmental environment, receiving an empathetic ear. This therapy can look at how you perceive yourself consciously.

I can bring in CBT (Cognitive Behavioural Therapy), which is a talking therapy to help you manage your problems by changing the ways in which you behave and think. This can be very effective for issues such as anxiety and depression but can be useful for many other issues too. Using this type of therapy can be useful in teaching you to become your own therapist. We may use worksheets during the sessions or I might send you some to use between sessions, if and when appropriate. 

I can also bring in creativity to my sessions, as not everyone can find the words and you might not even know how you are feeling. Using things like cards, crystals, sand and art are ways in which I can help you to explore your feelings, understand yourself better and make positive changes in your life.  Getting creative offers the inner subconscious an outlet for exploration. 

I also incorporate Gestalt Therapy, which really focuses on how you're feeling in the here and now. We can explore your feelings via your body language and sometimes even role play. This can be helpful to unveil issues or worries that perhaps you were unaware of.

I will adapt my style to suit your needs so you can be assured, if one type of therapy isn't for you, we can try something new.

I offer face to face counselling, which takes place in a quiet cabin in my garden in the heart of Morpeth, online counselling via Google Meet and telephone counselling.  My face to face counselling offers a relaxed, quiet environment, without the worry of sitting in a waiting room around other people, meaning your appointment will be very discrete.

Training, qualifications & experience

Level 5 diploma in therapeutic counselling. This has trained me to work integratively, adapting to individual needs.

I have plenty of experience doing online and telephone counselling, as well as face to face. 

I have worked a lot with adults in my private practice as well as young people. I currently work as a School Counsellor across a Junior and senior school 4 days a week and do my private practice on week day evenings.  

I have experience of dealing with the following issues:

  • Anxiety
  • Depression
  • Abuse (all types)
  • Bereavement
  • Gender dysphoria
  • Suicidal and intrusive thoughts
  • Relationship/friendship issues
  • Self harm
  • OCD
  • LGBTQ
  • Working with neurodivergent clients
  • Working with transgender clients

I have 6 years of experience working with young people in a school setting aged between 5 and 19. I have worked with adults since 2021 since starting up my private practice.

Other courses I have completed:

  • Eating disorders in the 21st century 
  • Level 2 in understanding autism.
  • Level 2 in Mental Health in the Early Years.
  • Youth Mental Health First Aid training
  • An Exploration of Children and Young People's Emergent Gender and Sexual Identities
  • Level 2 in understanding Domestic Abuse
  • Creative Counselling
  • Suicide First Aid training
  • Level 6 Clinical Supervision

Member organisations

BACP
British Association for Counselling & Psychotherapy (BACP)

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

British Association for Counselling & Psychotherapy
Accredited Register Scheme

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.

British Association for Counselling & Psychotherapy

Areas of counselling I deal with

Therapies offered

Fees

£45.00 per session
Free initial telephone session

Concessions offered for

  • check_circle OAPs
  • check_circle Students
  • check_circle Trainee counsellors

Additional information

  • Free initial 20 minute telephone assessment
  • 50 minute online therapy (Googlemeet or Zoom) £45
  • 50 minute telephone session £45
  • 50 minute face to face session £45

***Please note, student concessions refer to university students who do not have family support for paying for counselling sessions. Please contact me for information on concessions.***

When I work

Mon Tue Wed Thu Fri Sat Sun
Morning
Afternoon
Evening
Night

I work in a school Monday to Thursday so I generally offer 6pm and 7pm sessions on Mon, Tues, Thurs and Fri evening. In addition, I can offer day time sessions on a Friday between 9 and 2.

Further information

Please note, I currently don't have client toilet facilities available.

Morpeth, Northumberland, NE61

Type of session

In person
Online
Phone

Types of client

Young people (13-17)
Young adults (18-24)
Adults (25-64)

Key details

DBS check info

In England and Wales, the Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS, formerly known as CRB) carry out criminal records checks for individuals working with vulnerable groups, such as children. To find out more, visit gov.uk , or contact this professional directly

Regrettably, my current practice setup isn't wheelchair friendly due to a couple of steps in the garden and up into my cabin. No toilet facilities are available.

Online platforms

Zoom
Google Meet

Supervision

In person
Online
Phone

I offer a safe and comfortable reflective space for supervision and my aim is to support and encourage you in your journey as a counsellor.

View supervision profile