Joanne Aldred

Please note: I only have current availability at weekends. My waiting list for weekday appointments re-opens in Autumn 2023.

You may be questioning whether therapy can help relieve your distress, help you commit to life transitions or improve your overall mental wellbeing? Counselling can help with those issues and more.

Therapy is more than talking, it’s a relationship. You may have experience of ‘toxic’ or unhealthy relationships with others – or yourself. Which is why being met in a genuine relationship is the fundamental part of psychotherapy success. Accepting you for who you are, right now, invites a realness and confidence to explore the parts of you that you might have felt the need to reject.

You will begin to change & shift in ways you didn’t think possible, increasing your self-awareness with an understanding of your story and how you came to be you. Releasing the fear of expressing yourself or of hiding the aspects of you that cause pain or shame. Finding your voice within therapy so that you can use it in the wider world – in personal & professional relationships by asking for what you want & need in life.

I’ll help you cultivate curiosity around the potential that you hold. By being your authentic self and permitting your vulnerability to exist in the world, you’ll be able to confront life events & challenges in a way you might have never thought possible.

I'm Jo & I'm a Humanistic & EMDR therapist, meaning my specialism is the human experience.

I am informed by humanistic philosophy, Gestalt, EMDR/neuropsychology, and person-centred theory. I believe every person has worth, the right to autonomy (to decide their own future) and that a person should feel safe and secure in order to explore their sense of self. If a person is provided with the right conditions for growth, they'll always move towards change. I find the humanistic approach fits well with my own personal morals and values of integrity, honesty and empathy.

I'm also an EMDR practitioner.  EMDR stands for Eye Movement Desensitization & Reprocessing therapy and is a protocol driven therapy for working with single incident trauma, PTSD, C-PTSD & GAD (including OCD). It's a unique approach to accessing traumatic memories or beliefs about the self - by using eye stimulation (or bilateral stimulation such as alternating tones through headphones or handheld buzzers) it stimulates the memory/belief and then facilitates it becoming reprocessed and integrated in a healthier way.  EMDR has a faster pace, in terms of processing memories, thoughts, feelings and sensations than talking therapy which is one reason it's in both World Health Organisation (WHO) and National Institute for Clinical Excellence (NICE) guidelines. Due to the nature of EMDR, the session durations and cost are different to talking therapy. You can find out more about EMDR on my linked website: www.emdrtherapybrighton.co.uk.

• I offer a free initial consultation in order to understand what has prompted you to reach out - the call/zoom meeting provides an opportunity to introduce ourselves to each other ahead of booking any sessions.

I look forward to speaking with you. A warm welcome awaits.

Therapy - In person or Online

• £70 per individual session (50 minutes in duration)

EMDR Therapy- In person or Online

• £95 for the Initial Assessment session (90 minutes)
• £70 ongoing EMDR sessions (60 minutes)

SATURDAY ONLY Morning clinic for psychotherapy & EMDR

• £120 (60 minutes)

Personal Development Group weekend - 5th & 6th November, 2022. BN3 2BB

About this event
As a supportive space to explore personal topics, group weekends also provide opportunity to explore how we make contact with others (& them us), what prevents or encourages us to be part of the group & transferences that may arise. The purpose of the group is raising our awareness of how & who we are in the world.

Humankind are social creatures. We’re hardwired for connection.

Group work is a powerful experience for those wishing to understand themselves through relating to others. It can help with:

• Personal Development
• Anxiety
• Low self-esteem/confidence
• Loss of meaning or sense of purpose
• Shame
• Difficulty speaking, working or being in groups
• Concerns around relating to others or
• Expression of feelings

Through sharing your story with others, exploring how your narrative came to be and experiences that informed it, you can find insight and increase self-awareness. The group permits and encourages developing new ways of being, testing and trying out how we relate to others. Groups ‘work’ by forming solid, genuine attachments and understanding ourselves in relation to others - promoting reflection, self-awareness, connection and growth.

So what happens in a personal development group?

My role is to facilitate the group by ‘holding the space’. By that, I endeavour to encourage people to speak about their own experiences, concerns and feelings - without blaming or shaming others, to develop personal responsibility, and to cultivate a sense of autonomy and respect. The group isn’t like a work meeting, there is no set agenda from me. This is about experiencing the group evolve based on the dynamics of the participants. Sometimes several participants do bring subject matter they wish to look at which can be a starting point yet isn’t a pre-requisite.

Does this mean as the facilitator that I’m a silent observer? Absolutely not. I’m there as a therapist with the intention of promoting personal development. I’ll ask questions, suggest experiments (this is where we might play with an idea or choice) in order to increase awareness. I might draw you back to your somatic responses, such as “What do you notice in your body as you speak to me?”. But most of all, I will meet you in an authentic relationship.

The group acts as a microcosm of the world at large - your world. How you interact with the world and the way you attribute meaning.

Groups can often explore a wide range of topics - from mental health concerns, addiction, relationships, abuse, politics, racism, life decisions… there really is no limit. That's what makes it exciting. You begin to find parts of yourself and the edges of your awareness.

In brief:

• The group is open to everyone and anyone over the age of 18 - with or without experience of therapy or groups, including trainee and qualified therapists
• The group is limited to a maximum of 8 participants
• £250 per weekend
• CPD certificate is available (upon request) for therapists/trainee counsellors/mental health practitioners or others within related fields.

What's the plan for the weekend?

You're welcome to join me in the space from 9am each day, with session beginning at 9.15am. Timings are subject to change based on group requirements, yet as an outline:

9am - Welcome
09.15 - 11.00 Session One
11.00 - 11.30 Break One
11.30 - 13.00 Session Two
13.00 - 13.45 Lunch
13.45 - 15.15 Session Three
15.15 - 15.30 Break Two
15.30 - 17.00 Session Four
The intention is 12.5 hours of group time over the two days, or roughly 6.25 per day. 'Session One' and 'Break one' are the longest in the day in order to allow us to settle into the space, the group and ourselves. The timings will be the same each day - starting at 9.15am and finishing at 5pm.

About the facilitator

I'm Jo, and I'm a psychotherapist and EMDR therapist working in private practice in Brighton, UK. I work from a humanistic lens, which means I believe we're all capable of change and growth provided the right conditions, unique to each person, are co-created. I often describe myself as a 'stroke and a kick' as a therapist - I'll challenge you when appropriate and offer you just enough support to take the next steps in life. I enjoy deep discussions and laughter in equal measure.

I have experienced huge personal development from being a group participant and then through my further training in group process and facilitating groups. I think the power of group dynamics is a transformative and an immersive experience.

I very much look forward to welcoming you into the space.

If you'd like to know more about my personal bio, you can find me at www.kemptowncounselling.co.uk