Jo MacDonald
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About me
Hello, I'm Jo - a qualified, trauma-informed counsellor working with adults from all walks of life. I work holistically - integrating somatic, mindful, and creative approaches alongside traditional talk therapy.
Whether navigating a difficult time, a profound life change, or looking to understand yourself better, I'm here to provide compassionate support as you find your way to clarity, balance, empowerment and greater wellbeing. I see our work together as a partnership of equals, built on openness, trust, and active participation.
We all come to therapy with our own stories and context, and I don't believe there's a one-size-fits-all approach to healing. I tailor sessions to your unique needs - moving at whatever pace feels right, in a space where you can show up exactly as you are. Our sessions can be open-ended or to an agreed time period, and we can work in-person or online at your request.
I am passionate about using creativity to help bypass our thinking brains and develop insights into patterns, beliefs, and emotional responses. I'll support and encourage you to take risks; build tolerance for emotion; bring awareness to the body, connect with the different parts that make up who you are; and to nurture yourself in a safe and non-judgemental space.
Training, qualifications & experience
- Fully qualified, trauma-informed integrative counsellor, MBACP
- Diploma in Integrative Therapeutic Counselling
- Level 4 in Rape and Sexual Abuse Counselling
- Certified online & telephone counsellor
- Bereavement Support at Cruse Bereavement Care
- Volunteer Listener for the Samaritans
- As well as my private practice, I am a counsellor at a Broadstairs-based charity, working with many complex issues.
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
£50.00 per session
Concessions offered for
Additional information
Free 20 minute call / meet to see if we are the right fit for each other.
I reserve a small number of reduced-fee appointments to help make counselling more accessible. Get in touch to find out more.
When I work
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Further information
I am committed to ongoing professional development. Recent courses include:
- Emotionally Focused Therapy
- Neuro-affirming Practice
- Brainspotting
- Integrating Internal Family Systems
- Attachment theory in clinical practice
- Polyvagal and body-based interventions
- Advanced Somatic Trauma Treatment
- Sand Tray therapy
- The Mother-Daughter Attachment Model
- Working with the inner child
- Survivors of coercive control and narcissistic abuse
- Cognitive Processing Therapy: an evidence-based approach to treat PTSD and related conditions
