About me
Welcome. I am a BACP Accredited Registered Member, highly qualified and experienced Relational Integrative Counsellor and Psychotherapist with the aim of helping individuals and couples to gain a more coherent sense of self.
I am also an experienced Couples Counsellor and Clinical Supervisor. I blend my clinical experience with the latest research and cultural developments to help people live better lives.
My private practice based in Farsley/Pudsey, Leeds, provides a safe space for individuals and couples to explore and work through their issues and difficulties. Many client recommendations have helped me build my practice; offering you assurances I am a practitioner of the highest, caring quality. I am passionate about counselling and psychotherapy, as I have seen how therapeutic work can be life-changing, when clients are supported and able to explore and understand their experiences.
My background experience includes; 15 years working in the NHS, Higher Education and Voluntary sectors, GP referrals and student support. I have 10 years experience of working with clients in Private Practice. I am an Accredited Registered Member of the British Association of Counsellors and Psychotherapists (BACP), working competently and ethically, offering you the highest standard of professional care.
Helping You To Understand Yourself
Sometimes life throws you challenges, you feel uncertain and unhappy, unable to think clearly and find a way to move forward.
Counselling provides you with the space to learn more about yourself, to work through and make sense of your thoughts and feelings and sometimes to make life changing decisions. Some clients do not have a clearly defined problem, they simply feel lost, directionless and desperately need to find meaning in their lives.
By providing you with a caring, non-judgemental and safe environment, feeling heard and deeply understood, you are able to explore your difficulties and find new ways of being, learning new strategies to cope with the difficulties you face. This enables you the freedom to grow, to develop new and more fulfilling relationships with yourself and others, to become more comfortable in the person you desire to be.
Why Me? University-Accredited Training
My academic background includes; BSc (Hons) Psychology, (First Class), (The Open University), Post Graduate Diploma in Counselling & Psychotherapy (Leeds Beckett University), Post Graduate Certificate in Counselling Skills & Theory (University of Leeds), Post Graduate Certificate in Couples Counselling, Post Graduate Diploma in Supervision (Leeds Centre for Psychological Development.) Gaining my psychotherapeutic training from High Quality establishments has given me the knowledge and experience to help you with your difficulties. Additionally, my background in psychology has enabled me to understand the complexities of the mind and behaviour.
What can I offer you?
I have a wealth of experience working short and long term with a wide array of issues, including; anxiety, depression, life transitions, relationship difficulties, parenting, family building, identity formation, bereavement, trauma, grief and loss.
As an identical twin, I have always been curious about how people develop their own sense of self within relationships. This curiosity led me to complete a psychology degree and ultimately pursue counselling and psychotherapy.
My psychotherapeutic post graduate training is underpinned by my BSc (First Class) Honours degree in Psychology, which is the study of mind and behaviour. This knowledge informs my work with a deep understanding of psychological processes, e.g. Child Development, Attachment Theories, Neuroscience, Neurobiology, Somatic Experiences, Cognitive and Developmental Psychology, Trauma and Memory Systems, further helping me to understand the struggles life can bring us and how they affect our well-being. Understanding how experiences impact our brain and nervous system, enables us to work together to enable you to regulate your physical and mental health, providing you with a lifelong positive investment in your overall wellbeing. As every individual is different, my integrative training allows me to tailor my work to each client's individual need.
My Therapeutic Approach
I am trained in the Relational Approach which places relationships as essential to how we feel about ourselves, including the relationship between therapist and client. Research shows that the most significant factor in a successful outcome is the relationship with your therapist - what might be described as the "feeling felt." This integrative approach allows us to explore the impact of historical and new influences upon current relating and learn new strategies to cope with the difficulties we face.
Couples Counselling
Specialist training in Couples Counselling at the Leeds Centre for Psychological Development has enabled me to understand the difficulties some couples encounter in their relating. I work with couples that are distressed, discouraged and disconnected. Together, we can explore your relationship history and begin to piece together the reasons that the emotional and physical intimacy began to decline; whether that leads to helping to rebuild an empathic, fulfilling and connected relationship; or a pathway of separation.
Most people look to their relationship to provide a sense of closeness, safety and enjoyment; I see couples at all stages of a relationship, including those who aren't experiencing conflict, but would like to gain skills to keep their relationship strong. Some ineffective things we do in relationships include:
Blame or attempt to dominate / Disengage / Withdraw / Resentful Compliance / Whine / Complain / Denial or Confusion
Improving your relationship means better management of these reactions.
Couples sessions can be bespoke and tailored to your individual need; from a single session to learn more effective ways of communicating, to more longer term work, in cases of betrayal or breaks of trust.
Please feel free to contact me to discuss your specific requirements.
Consulting: Consultation can be helpful for working on a specific problem or for creating a concrete plan to move forward.
Consultation services can be short-term, longer-term, or ongoing, and can be helpful for working on a specific problem or for creating a concrete plan to move forward on a more complex issue. People generally seek consultation related to: Couples issues, Parenting Guidance, Overcoming Relationship Roadblocks, Family Relational Issues.
Bereavement Counselling
Specialist training working with loss, death and grief, gained whilst working at the Bradford Bereavement Support Centre. Alongside traditional bereavement work, I have a special interest in ambiguous and disenfranchised loss, including family and sibling estrangement. I recognize how painful and complex these experiences can be, particularly when the grief is not openly acknowledged by others. These experiences can evoke identity challenges and complicated emotions that deserve careful and compassionate exploration.
I realise taking the first steps to seek help can be difficult, so please feel free to call, e-mail or text if you have any questions about my service and I will happily respond to any questions you may have. If you leave a message I will get back to you as soon as possible, usually within 24 hours.
Client Comments:
"I would recommend Josephine to anyone! Coming to weekly therapy with Josephine helped me to strengthen my self-esteem......through working together, I feel in a better position in the future to walk away from destructive relationships.....it gave me time to think.....my life seems so much easier now!"
"Josephine was warm and caring....I never felt judged.....I was amazed at where my journey went...like I turned myself inside out and found a new me.....I also know I have support in the future if I need it, so I can work on any other issues as they come up, and that feels so good!"
My Therapeutic Approach
The model I am trained in is the Relational Approach. This approach places relationships as essential to how we feel about ourselves, including the relationship between Therapist and Client. This model adopts an integrative approach, underpinned by the warmth of the Person Centred Approach and incorporating Existential, Humanistic, Transactional Analysis, Psychodynamic, Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT) and Attachment Theories. I am therefore able to tailor my therapeutic approach to the individual needs of my clients.
Areas of Counselling I deal with:
Counselling provides you with the space to learn more about yourself, to work through your feelings and sometimes to make life changing decisions. Challenging areas in relating may include: depression, anxiety, trauma, risk issues, suicide, loss and bereavement, affairs and betrayal, bullying, childhood and life event trauma, stress, panic attacks, relationship problems, marriage difficulties and divorce, family problems, emotional abuse, work difficulties, self esteem, addictions, anger management, work related problems and many other issues.
Premises
My practice is located in a safe, quiet, easily accessible building with adjacent parking. There is a reception area and toilet facilities. Transport links via rail and bus are very good.
Training, qualifications & experience
Qualifications
- Masters Level: Post Graduate Diploma in Counselling & Psychotherapy (Leeds Beckett University, Accredited: BACP.)
- Post Graduate Certificate in Counselling Skills and Theory (University of Leeds, Accredited : BACP)
- BSc (Hons) Psychology (First Class) (The Open University, Accredited: The British Psychological Society)
- Post Graduate Diploma in Supervision (Leeds Centre for Psychological Development, Accredited: BACP.)
- Certificate in The Social Sciences (The Open University)
- Certificate in Working With Couples (Leeds Centre for Psychological Development)
- CTI Level 2: Counselling Training Programme (Joseph Priestley College)
- Openings: Living in a Changing Society (The Open University)
- Certificate in Mental Health First Aid
- Degree level modules on psychological interactions: bullying, harassment and ethics. (The Open University.)
BSc (Hons) Degree Psychology Modules:
- An introduction to the Social Sciences.
- Exploring Psychology Project: Memory Systems
- Child Development
- Social Psychology
- Biological Psychology: Exploring the Brain
- Cognitive Psychology
- Ethics in Real Life.
I have full Professional Indemnity Insurance Cover.
Training and Experience
My background experience includes; 15 years working in the NHS, Higher Education and Voluntary Sectors, GP referrals and students support. 10 years experience of working with clients in Private Practice.
My experience in the Voluntary sector includes:
Home-Start, Leeds - visiting families in their own homes, supporting parents who often felt isolated, depressed and exhausted, struggling with the challenges that parenting brings.
Noah's Ark Adults and Children's Counselling Centre, Halifax - Offering Counselling and Psychotherapy to the local community.
Bradford Bereavement Support - Working with individuals who have encountered issues of death, loss and grief.
I attend regular Clinical Supervision and am committed to my own Continuing Professional Development, attending relevant training and courses.
Training Courses include:
- Certificate in Hard to Help Clients in Counselling
- Certificate in Mental Health First Aid
- Certificate in Babies Brains and Bonding
- Certificate in Bereavement: Grief and Loss
- Certificate in Defence Mechanisms and their part in the Bereavement Process
- Certificate: Home-Start Volunteers Preparation Course
- Working with people who identify as Gay, Lesbian and Transgender
- Certificate in Counselling Couples
- Domestic Abuse Awareness
- Drugs and Alcohol Awareness
- Training in Relaxation Techniques
- Safeguarding Children and Young People Workshop
- Self Harm Workshop
- Working with Teenagers
- Working with Families
- Assertiveness Training
- The Data Protection Act
- Sage & Thyme: Foundation Level Workshop: Listening and responding to people who are worried or distressed
- Unconscious Bias Training, The NHS
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
£65.00 per session
Concessions offered for
Additional information
Individual Counselling: £65
Couples Counselling: £85
Online and Telephone Counselling: £65
Trainee Counsellors welcome.
All sessions are 50 minutes.
Cash or BACS accepted for payment.
Supervision:
As a Qualified Clinical Supervisor I offer Supervision to trainee and qualified counsellors and psychotherapists. I offer a warm, reflective space, enabling clinical practice to be explored safely and ethically in a contained space.
Face-to- face, Online & Telephone Supervision
I welcome you to contact me if you would like us to explore together your Supervisory requirements.
I realise taking the first steps to seek help can be difficult, so please feel free to call, e-mail or text if you have any questions about my service and I will happily respond to any questions you may have. If you leave a message I will get back to you as soon as possible, usually within 24 hours.
Further information
Premises
My practice is located in a safe, easily accessible building with private parking. Transport links via rail and bus are very good.
Availability
I am available to see clients both daytime and evening.
Monday to Friday - 8:30 am to 9:00 pm
