Joanne Reed

Welcome to my profile, I am Joanne and I set up Free to be Me Counselling based on the premise that to truly be free to be yourself can be life changing. I have a passion for helping others and helping clients to feel supported, understood and heard.

I’ve sat in the counselling chair myself, I understand how it feels to be a client. I know how hard it is to share your story, to open yourself up to feeling vulnerable and exposed. This is why I will work hard from the offset to make you feel comfortable, to build a rapport and to gain your trust. 

Why choose me?

I have worked with clients across a variety of concerns but with a particular focus on bereavement/grief, anxiety and depression. I tailor my approach to fit each individual and the concerns they are seeking to address. 

Bereavement/Grief

You may feel like everyone around you is just carrying on but no-one seems to understand your pain, leaving you feeling alone and isolated. Do you struggle to find joy in anything, losing interest in everything you enjoyed before? Perhaps you are hiding your true feelings from family/your children because you don’t want to upset them or you already feel like a burden so keep to yourself.

Clients often ask when will grief end, how can I end my grief sooner?. I am asked will I ever feel normal again, why am I still sad years later? Grief brings with it a whole mixed bag of emotions and can make us question every aspect of our life. Who am I without…, what is my purpose, what’s the point?. All normal responses but they can feel very hard to navigate.

I will provide an open, supportive environment giving you the opportunity to honestly discuss your thoughts, fears and concerns without fear of being judged or feeling like a burden or upsetting anyone around you. I can help you navigate the difficult emotions associated with loss. 

Anxiety

I have helped clients who struggle with anxiety, panic attacks, disordered thinking and constant, relentless, negative thought patterns. Just the thought of talking about anxiety can trigger anxiety so I understand why you might be hesitant to begin.

I work in a collaborative way, helping you to gain insight, understand your triggers, overcome challenges and achieve personal goals. This will all be done at a pace that suits you in a warm, supportive environment. I may challenge you from time to time but this will be done gently, when it is appropriate and always with your consent. 

Depression

I truly believe with the right support counselling can be transformative. Depression can leave you feeling exhausted, drained, isolated and alone. It can be hard to engage in anything, leading to a sense of you just existing, not living. You may even be masking, leading people to believe all is well on the surface but on the inside you feel like you are crumbling. It impacts on all aspects of your life, work, social life, day to day routine and relationships.

I can help you to gain increased self-awareness, understand the causes and why you think, feel and act the way you do. I can offer support and techniques to alleviate your symptoms, empowering you to build confidence, resilience and reach your full potential. 

How can counselling help me?

Counselling can help in a number of ways but some benefits include:

• Greater understanding of why you think, feel and act in certain ways 
• Increased self-awareness & ability to make sense of things
• Meet set goals
• Identify patterns of behaviour making it easier to make changes
•  Develop new coping strategies
• Offer support and techniques to alleviate your symptoms
• Help you navigate difficult emotions
• Allow you space to speak openly, honestly without judgment
• Learn new skills such as building resilience, mindfulness and practising self-compassion
• Improve confidence and self-esteem
• Become the best version of you and live a more authentic life

What happens in a session?

Our first session will be an assessment where I will ask you to provide some background information, history and an idea of what you would like to work through in sessions. If you have any particular goals I will note these and always work with them in mind.

I can offer short-term or open-ended sessions depending on your requirements and the issues you wish to explore. I will be transparent throughout, explaining how I work, what to expect and answering any questions you have about the process.

I work online or by telephone, it is up to you which one suits you best. If you are unsure just ask.

Sessions will vary and I tailor my approach to each individual client. You might just want an open forum to talk or you might be seeking a technique, tool or coping strategy. I will build regular reviews into our work to ensure things are progressing as you would expect. 

I qualified as a Person-Centred therapist which means I believe individuals are their own expert and know what works best for them. I work collaboratively allowing you to set the agenda and the pace. I am not here to judge, question your decisions or to try to offer solutions. I am here to help you better understand yourself, why you feel the way you do or to understand your behaviour and emotions.

I blend person-centred therapy with other modalities including CBT and Solution Focused Therapy in order to work integratively and offer clients a more rounded experience, and on the understanding that some clients do require practical solutions and coping strategies. Having said that, it is not my role to offer advice or tell you what to do. 

Sessions are confidential enabling you to be really honest and open with your thoughts and feelings. 

I offer a free initial 15 minute telephone consultation to help you determine if I am the right counsellor for you and ask any questions you may have prior to booking an appointment.

I offer a free 15 minute telephone consultation to answer any questions you may have and to help you decide if I am the right counsellor for you. 

I can accommodate requests for fortnightly counselling if you are able to be flexible with dates and times. 

I offer both evening and early morning appointments. 

I can offer sessions either online or by telephone, whichever is your preference.