Penny Jolly

A warm, compassionate yet strong counsellor, I offer therapy for anxiety, stress, fear, anger, depression, low-confidence and self-esteem, ptsd, c-ptsd, grief, loss, loneliness, relationship issues, sadness, shame etc.

I believe that there are times when you need a therapist to do more than just listen, you need some guidance, some support, and help finding your own strength.

I will help you to explore and express your feelings in a safe, confidential and supportive way.  I will give you strategies to manage current difficulties while simultaneously releasing pain from the recent, or even very distant, past.

As well as Emotional Therapeutic Counselling we can, if you like, use yoga techniques, (I am fully qualified) such as breathing, as many of these are simple yet bring great and long-lasting relief from stress especially.

When appropriate I also draw on my background as part of a psychiatric team in a hospital including a drug and alcohol addiction unit and later carrying out research into mental health (public attitudes in particular) for the World Health Authority.

I believe that some problems require more than one kind of approach and I would be happy to suggest other kinds of therapy, for instance, research indicates that people suffering from PTSD often respond much better if also receiving physical therapy.

You will be in safe and caring hands.

General unhappiness, anxiety, loss of enthusiasm for life, apathy, fear, feelings of detachment from others or life.   Also those feelings that could sound trivial to some people but that have a negative impact on your life, like, for instance, disappointment.

Initial half-hour consultation free

£55 thereafter

What my clients say, and, I have made some very slight amendments for clarity and to obscure any hints on identity

From some who had very traumatic childhoods and teen years and some whose relationships had ended (often not their choice and involving adultery/betrayal):

“You have helped me so much, far more than any other counsellor and I had to see many in my teens.  I definitely feel that I have come a long way.”

“So many people say ‘move on, it’s in the past …etc’, but that just creates more shame, being understood is healing and comforting”

“I can see such a difference over the last 2 years”

“I am so much better in so many ways now than 1 year ago”

“I am so much more confident now, about work, raising children and studying”

“Now I am looking forward to raising my child on my own”  (this had been a source of great anxiety and fear)

“I feel self-love, something I never felt before”

“I am so much better now than I was a year ago, like another person, so much happier”

“Now, I am happy with who I am”

“My self-esteem is much higher” (therefore I feel okay about decisions others make that affect me)

“Now I know that what others do is kind of irrelevant (it’s how I feel that counts) so my self esteem does not go up and down because of other people”

“(I) feel a lot more authentic and relaxed compared to the younger me, and forgiving”

“I am doing things and going to do more than I ever thought would be possible for me”

From a client with an alcohol problem, marital problems, family problems and sexual dysfunction

"That was extraordinary.  To be honest when you suggested this I thought it was a load of guff and just went along with it to be polite.  But it’s astonishing, so revealing. "

From a client with family problems:

"You have helped me terrifically with the situations I was finding difficult to cope with."

From clients with PTSD and with grief and pain from the past which were having a negative impact on life.

"I can now see links (from the past) with the here and now" (meaning, now I can see why I used to feel as I did and sometimes still do and how I can change that so that I feel okay)

"... part of the whole" (this little comment meant instead of trying to be one way with some people, another with other people, different again with others, now this client is comfortable to be just who they are and finds that a huge relief, especially being accepted just as they are.  This client has discovered that the rules of their own family are not those of others and there’s no need to hide)

"It’s all so much more at a conscious level" (meaning, before I just felt bad, guilty, ashamed, angry, terrified etc but without knowing why and therefore unable to resolve it, now the client understand the cause of the feelings and the bad feelings melt away.

"Day to day problems or potential concerns are no longer major"

"There is a way to work it out in a real way" (like the client below, meaning that solutions offered in the past did not help at a deep and constant level but only superficially.  For instance breathing deeply and walking away from an argument does not help if it means something important that needs saying remains unsaid.  Sometimes we need ways to express ourselves so that we are heard and understood)

"It (the counselling) is getting to the crux of the problem rather than sticking plasters (though there is a place for plasters too)"

 From a client whose sexual preferences did not suit their family values

"I never realised that one incident had affected my whole life, my whole outlook and my love relationships" (After very few sessions this client resolved the heartbreak of a crumbling relationship and went on to mend the relationship and live happily without needing any further counselling)