About me
Hello, I’m Jo, a qualified counsellor offering a warm, compassionate and non-judgemental space for adults aged 18 and over. I offer face-to-face counselling in Southsea, as well as online and telephone sessions.
Perhaps you’re feeling anxious, overwhelmed or stuck. Maybe your confidence and self-esteem have taken a knock, your relationships feel difficult, or you find yourself repeatedly putting other people’s needs before your own. You may be trying to make sense of experiences from the past, struggling with the impact of trauma, or simply feeling exhausted from holding everything together.
Whatever has brought you to counselling, you don’t need to have everything figured out before we begin.
I believe that feeling genuinely heard and understood can be an important starting point for change. My approach is relational, meaning I place a great deal of value on the relationship we build together. I won’t tell you how you should live your life or expect you to fit into a particular way of working. Instead, I’ll work alongside you with warmth, empathy, honesty and, where appropriate, a little humour.
Together, we can begin to explore what is happening for you, understand patterns that may have developed over time, and make sense of thoughts, feelings and behaviours that can sometimes feel confusing or overwhelming. My aim is to help you develop a deeper understanding of yourself, strengthen your sense of self-worth, and feel more able to make choices that are right for you.
Anxiety, self-esteem and feeling overwhelmed
I particularly enjoy working with people who experience anxiety, low self-esteem, self-doubt or difficulties with confidence. You may find yourself overthinking, worrying about what others think, struggling to set boundaries, or questioning whether your feelings and needs are valid.
Therapy can offer a space to slow things down and explore what lies underneath these experiences. We can work together to understand your patterns, develop greater self-awareness and find ways of responding to yourself with more compassion.
Trauma and relationships
I have extensive experience supporting people who have experienced trauma, including sexual and domestic abuse. Alongside my private practice, I currently provide specialist trauma therapy through a local charity supporting survivors of sexual and/or domestic abuse.
I understand that experiences of trauma can affect much more than how we feel about the past. They can influence our relationships, boundaries, confidence, sense of safety and how we respond when we feel threatened or overwhelmed.
If you have experienced trauma, I will never expect you to share more than you are ready to. We can work at a pace that feels manageable and prioritise creating a sense of safety and trust within our work together.
ADHD and neurodivergence
I also have a particular interest in working with adults who have ADHD, whether you have recently received a diagnosis or are wondering whether ADHD might explain some of your experiences.
ADHD can affect far more than attention. It can influence emotional regulation, relationships, self-esteem, motivation, overwhelm and how you experience everyday life. For some people, years of feeling different, misunderstood or as though they are constantly falling short can have a significant impact on how they see themselves.
I can offer a space to explore these experiences without judgement and to develop a greater understanding of yourself, including how your nervous system may respond to stress, overwhelm and emotional demands.
How I work
I see you as the expert in your own life. My role is not to tell you what to do, but to walk alongside you as we explore what you are experiencing and what you might need.
I will offer you empathy, warmth and acceptance, alongside gentle challenge and honest reflection when I feel it may be helpful. Sometimes therapy involves making sense of the past; sometimes it is about understanding what is happening for you right now; and sometimes it is about finding a different way forward.
Most importantly, I want you to feel that you can be yourself in our sessions.
I deeply value the diversity and individuality of each person I work with. I welcome people of all backgrounds and identities and recognise the importance of race, ethnicity, gender identity, sexuality, socioeconomic background, disability, neurodivergence, spirituality and culture in shaping our experiences.
If you’re wondering whether counselling might be right for you, you’re welcome to get in touch. You don’t need to know exactly what you want to work on. We can start with where you are now and take it from there.
Sessions are 50 minutes and I currently offer appointments on Mondays, Tuesdays, Wednesdays and Thursdays.
What happens next?
If you’re interested in working together, please feel free to email or call me. I’ll respond as soon as possible with my current availability and information about the next steps.
Training, qualifications & experience
I am a level 6 qualified therapist with a BA (Hons) in Humanistic Counselling.
I have extensive experience working within a sexual and domestic abuse counselling organisation and have worked both long-term and short-term to address abuse, trauma, anxiety, depression, self-esteem, self-confidence and relationship issues. I also have an interest in working with adults who have been diagnosed with ADHD or suspect they might have ADHD.
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
Photos & videos
Fees
£60.00 per session
Additional information
Fees are payable 24 hours in advance via bank transfer.
When I work
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