Rachel Jones

How can therapy help?

We all need space and support to process our experiences and make sense of our internal world, our relationships, and our journey. It can be hard to understand what we feel or to describe our experiences and needs to others. We can develop patterns and ways of interacting, both individually and in our relationships, that can be hard to change, and space to explore and understand these patterns can be invaluable for our well-being. Therapy can provide a space and support to make sense of ourselves and our experiences with someone else. 

About Me:

As an experienced Systemic Psychotherapist and Registered Mental Health Nurse, I have extensive experience supporting children, young people, adults, couples, and families through a wide range of emotional, psychological, and relational challenges. My experience includes working with relationships and communication, mood, eating and body image difficulties, trauma, emotional regulation difficulties, low self-esteem, life transitions, self-harm, and challenges relating to identity, connection, and sense of self. My practice is grounded in systemic thinking, recognising that our experiences are shaped by our relationships, personal histories, and wider social contexts.

How I work:

I have many years of experience working with couples, families, and individuals of all ages. I base my therapy practice on both systemic therapy principles and wider therapy approaches, including attachment, narrative therapy, trauma therapy, IFS and emotion-focused couple and individual therapy. 

 I have a particular interest in supporting clients who are neurodiverse, diagnosed or self-diagnosed, especially those diagnosed later in life, to live in an authentic and unmasked way that aligns with their values.

I am passionate about helping clients to develop new narratives about their lived experiences and to feel supported to be their authentic and unmasked selves. 

I provide a compassionate, open space and embrace a neuro-affirming approach to help you feel empowered and heard. I offer a warm, open space and believe in an integrated therapeutic approach.

I work in a fluid and attuned way, recognising that each person and relationship requires something different from therapy. Some people benefit from slowing down to explore emotions, attachment needs, unconscious experiences, and the patterns that have developed to protect them. Others may find it more helpful to have a more direct and practical approach, focusing on understanding difficulties, identifying strategies, developing new skills, and finding different ways of responding to challenges. I aim to adapt my approach to each so that therapy feels meaningful and connected to everyday life.

Therapy should provide a space that feels safe enough to be vulnerable and supportive enough to embrace meaningful change. I believe lasting change happens when people feel genuinely understood and accepted, while also being gently encouraged to explore new perspectives and challenge patterns that no longer serve them. My role is to be alongside you with warmth, curiosity, authenticity, and humour, supporting you to develop a deeper understanding of yourself and your relationships.

I enjoy getting to know clients, understanding their lived experiences, and working together to identify the support you need to live in a way that aligns with your values and needs. 

Specialisms:

These are groups of clients I am very experienced with, though I am also trained and experienced in working with lots of other presentations and conditions.

Couples and families:

For couples and families, therapy is not about deciding who is right or wrong. Together, we explore the patterns that may be keeping people feeling stuck, helping each person feel heard, understood, and better able to express their needs. By developing greater insight into one another's emotions and experiences, couples and families can strengthen trust, repair connections, navigate conflict more effectively, and create healthier ways of relating.

Therapy for teenagers and support for parents:

When working with children and young people, I recognise that they are both individuals and part of a wider family and social system. By working collaboratively with children, young people, parents, and carers, I support families to better understand each other's experiences, strengthen communication, and create environments where children and adolescents can feel understood, supported, and able to thrive. My approach is developmentally informed, compassionate, and adapted to each young person's individual needs.

I also support parents and carers who may be seeking to better understand their child's experiences, strengthen their relationship, and develop approaches that support connection, communication, emotional regulation, and wellbeing. Parenting can bring many challenges, particularly when children experience the world differently, and therapy can provide a space to explore new perspectives and develop strategies that work for the whole family.

Eating disorders and body image:

I am very experienced at supporting clients with eating disorders, disordered eating, and body dysmorphia across a range of ages and presentations. My work recognises the complex interaction between emotional wellbeing, relationships, identity, attachment, neurodiversity, and wider social and cultural influences.  My approach is compassionate, curious, and non-judgemental, with a focus on supporting meaningful and sustainable change. Recovery is rarely about perfection; it is about developing greater flexibility, self-compassion, and trust in yourself.

Trauma informed support

My work is underpinned by a trauma-informed approach that recognises the importance of safety, pacing, and choice. I understand that experiences of trauma can influence how we relate to ourselves, others, and the world around us. Therapy begins with creating a secure and trusting relationship where you feel safe, heard, and understood. Where appropriate, therapy may involve making sense of difficult experiences, but this is always guided by safety, choice, and your readiness. Together, we work at a pace that feels right for you, using grounding, emotional regulation, and compassionate curiosity to build resilience, deepen understanding, and support meaningful and lasting change.

Neurodiversity, ummasking and burnout:

I have specialist expertise in neurodiversity and provide neuro-affirming support for autistic and ADHD children, young people, adults, couples, and families. I recognise that many neurodivergent people have spent years adapting to environments that may not have fully understood or supported their needs. Therapy can provide a space to explore identity, strengths, challenges, masking, communication differences, emotional wellbeing, and ways of creating a life that feels more authentic and sustainable. Together, we move away from ideas of fixing and create space that allows for curiosity, understanding, self-acceptance and self-care.

Knowing a space is needed but not why:

People seek therapy for many varied reasons. Sometimes we know that we need something, but we don't have a language for what it is or what we are feeling. This is a very valid reason to seek therapy, as it lets us explore the part of ourselves that might otherwise have no voice. Therapy can serve as a way to translate ourselves, either to us or to others, and to understand our needs and experiences in new ways. Not knowing what it is that we need is not a barrier to therapy; it's a great place to start.

What to expect in a first session:

First sessions can feel daunting, and it's normal to feel uncertain and to take time to get used to the experience. In a first appointment, we will talk generally about your life so I can find out what's important to you. We will talk about what has brought you to therapy, if that feels comfortable at that stage, and we will think together about what support you would like and what you would like to get from therapy. 

We will go through any questions you have, and if it feels suitable, we will make another time to meet so we can focus more on the work you would like to do.

Burnout, overwhelm and masking.

Self-esteem and identity

People pleasing

Attachment 

Emotional understanding and regulation

Communication (family, couple or individual)

I can offer double appointments (£160) if appropriate. 

I operate a 24-hour cancellation policy for all appointments. 

I offer a free 15-minute consultation to discuss your enquiry and to go through any questions you have may have.