How I can help
ANXIETY AND DEPRESSION
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When you come to see me for anxiety, my first priority is creating a space where you feel completely safe to share what's really going on in your mind - all those racing thoughts, worst-case scenarios, and fears that might feel too intense or "crazy" to tell anyone else.
I Help You Build Your Personal Toolkit Together, we'll explore different coping strategies to see what actually works for your life and your specific triggers. I might teach you breathing techniques, but if those don't resonate, we'll try grounding exercises, progressive muscle relaxation, or mindfulness practices. My job is to help you discover what genuinely helps you feel more centered.
We'll Uncover Your Patterns Together I'll help you start noticing when and where your anxiety shows up most. You might realize it peaks before work presentations, or after certain phone calls, or when you're trying to fall asleep. Once we map out these patterns, they become less mysterious and more manageable.
I'll Teach You to Question Your Anxious Thoughts When you tell me about your worries, I won't dismiss them, but I will help you examine them. We'll look at thoughts like "What if I mess up completely?" or "Everyone will think I'm incompetent" and explore whether these thoughts are helpful or accurate. I'll give you tools to catch these spirals before they take over.
We'll Face Difficult Things Gradually If there are situations you've been avoiding, I'll never push you to jump in before you're ready. Instead, we'll create a step-by-step plan that feels manageable. Each small victory builds your confidence and proves to you that you're stronger than your anxiety suggests.
I'm Here to Truly Understand You Most importantly, I'm someone who won't tell you to "just stop worrying." I understand that anxiety isn't something you choose, and I'm trained to help you work with it, not against it. This is your space to be completely honest about what you're experiencing.
When you're struggling with depression, I understand that even coming to therapy can feel exhausting - and that's okay. In our work together, I'm here to help you understand that depression isn't a character flaw or something you should be able to "snap out of." We'll explore the thoughts, feelings, and patterns that keep you stuck in cycles of hopelessness, and I'll help you recognize how depression distorts your perception of yourself, your relationships, and your future. Together, we'll work on challenging the harsh inner critic that tells you you're worthless or that nothing will ever get better. I'll teach you practical strategies to manage overwhelming emotions, increase your energy gradually, and reconnect with activities or people that once brought you meaning - even when motivation feels impossible to find. We'll also examine any underlying factors that may be contributing to your depression, whether that's past trauma, relationship patterns, or life circumstances. Most importantly, I'll be a steady, non-judgmental presence who believes in your capacity for healing, especially during times when you can't believe in it yourself, and I'll help you rebuild hope and rediscover your sense of self one small step at a time.
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OCD, PSYCHOSIS,SELF HARM and SUICIDAL THOUGHTS
.When you're struggling with these intense and frightening experiences, I want you to know that you're not alone and that these conditions are treatable - my role is to provide you with specialized support tailored to what you're going through. For OCD, I'll help you understand how compulsions and avoidance behaviors actually strengthen the obsessive thoughts, and we'll work together using exposure and response prevention techniques to gradually reduce the power these thoughts have over your life. If you're experiencing psychosis, I'll help you develop reality-testing skills, identify early warning signs, and create coping strategies for managing symptoms while ensuring you're getting the comprehensive support you need. When it comes to self-harm, we'll explore what functions it serves for you - perhaps emotional regulation, self-punishment, or feeling control - and develop healthier alternatives that meet those same needs without causing physical damage. For suicidal thoughts, I take them seriously every time, helping you create safety plans, identify your reasons for living, and develop crisis coping skills while addressing the underlying pain that makes death feel like relief. Across all of these challenges, I'll help you build distress tolerance skills, improve emotional regulation, and develop a stronger sense of hope and purpose. Most importantly, I'll be a consistent, non-judgmental presence who believes in your capacity for recovery, even when these conditions make it hard for you to believe in yourself.
LOSS AND BEREAVEMENT
When you're grieving, I want you to know that there's no "right" way to do it, and there's no timeline you need to follow. In our sessions, I provide you with a space where you can express all the complicated, messy emotions that come with loss - the anger, guilt, confusion, or even moments of relief - without anyone trying to fix you or rush you through the process. I help you understand that grief isn't something you "get over," but rather something you learn to carry differently. Together, we'll explore what your loss means to you, honor your relationship with the person you've lost, and find ways to maintain connection with them while also learning to live with their physical absence. I'll support you through the waves of grief that can feel overwhelming, help you navigate practical challenges that arise, and assist you in rebuilding your sense of identity and purpose in a world that now feels fundamentally different. Most importantly, I'm here to witness your pain without judgment and to help you find your own path forward at whatever pace feels right for you.
COUPLES/RELATIONSHIPS
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When you both come into my office, I know you're likely feeling frustrated, disconnected, or maybe even wondering if your relationship can survive the challenges you're facing. My role isn't to take sides or determine who's right or wrong, but rather to create a safe space where you can both be heard and understood. I help you recognize the negative patterns you've fallen into - the ways you might be talking past each other, getting stuck in blame cycles, or withdrawing when you need connection most. Together, we'll work on improving how you communicate, teaching you to express your needs and feelings without attacking, and to listen to your partner with genuine curiosity rather than defensiveness. I'll help you understand the underlying emotions beneath your conflicts - often hurt, fear, or feeling unvalued - so you can address what's really driving your arguments. We'll also focus on rebuilding intimacy and friendship, helping you remember what drew you together initially while developing new ways to support each other through current challenges. My goal is to give you both the tools and insights you need to create a stronger, more resilient partnership, whether you're dealing with communication issues, trust concerns, life transitions, or simply feeling like roommates rather than lovers.
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TRAUMA/ PTSD AND REWIND THERAPY
When you come to me carrying trauma, I understand that you've developed certain ways of thinking, feeling, and responding that once protected you but may now be limiting your life. Many of these patterns were formed in childhood when your developing mind made sense of overwhelming or frightening experiences by creating beliefs like "I'm not safe," "I can't trust anyone," or "I have to be perfect to be loved." I'll help you recognize how these old survival strategies - perhaps hypervigilance, people-pleasing, emotional numbing, or pushing others away before they can hurt you - made complete sense in the context of what you experienced, but may now be triggering automatically even in safe situations. Together, we'll work on identifying your specific triggers and understanding the defensive responses they activate, helping you differentiate between past danger and present safety. I'll teach you techniques to regulate your nervous system when you're activated, and we'll gently process traumatic memories at a pace that feels manageable for you. Most importantly, I'll help you update those core beliefs about yourself and the world, showing you evidence of your resilience and worth, so you can begin to respond to life from a place of empowerment rather than survival. My goal is to help you reclaim your authentic self - the person you were meant to be before trauma taught you that you needed to be someone else to stay safe
I studied Rewind Therapy initially to help bridge the gap in the treatment of veterans suffering from PTSD, but have subsequently found it amazing in helping others with PTSD symptoms. In working this way we are able to assimilate the traumatic imprints left by past events and stop them intruding in your life.As part of my commitment to this therapy and in my absolute belief in its efficacy, I offer this treatment to veterans for free. If that is you, please contact me and we will have a discussion to decide of Rewind Therapy could help you.
I was recently asked by the Police Firearms Officers Organisation to become one of their approved counsellors which was an opportunity I wholeheartedly embraced, feeling quite honored to be asked to be part of the support network for those involved in firearms operations, and their families.
ADDICTION
.When you're struggling with addiction, I understand that substances or behaviors often serve as ways to cope with pain that feels unbearable - and frequently, that pain stems from trauma you've experienced. In our work together, I won't just focus on stopping the addictive behavior, but on understanding what it's been doing for you emotionally and psychologically. We'll explore how trauma may have left you feeling unsafe in your own body, overwhelmed by emotions, or disconnected from yourself and others, and how addiction became a survival strategy to manage these impossible feelings. I'll help you develop trauma-informed coping skills that address the root causes rather than just the symptoms, teaching you ways to regulate your nervous system, process difficult memories safely, and rebuild your relationship with your body and emotions. We'll work on healing the underlying wounds that drive the compulsive behaviors, while also addressing the shame and self-blame that often keep people trapped in cycles of addiction. My approach recognizes that recovery isn't just about abstinence - it's about learning to feel safe in your own skin again, developing healthy ways to manage stress and pain, and reconnecting with your authentic self. I'm here to provide the safety and support you need to face these deeper issues at your own pace, understanding that healing trauma takes time and compassion.
YOUNG PEOPLE
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When young people come to see me, they're often navigating incredibly complex pressures that older generations didn't face in quite the same way - from social media comparison and academic stress to uncertainty about their future and identity questions that feel overwhelming. I understand that you're dealing with real challenges, not just "teenage drama," and I take your experiences seriously. Many young people come to me feeling misunderstood by adults who tell them these are "the best years of their life" when they're actually struggling with anxiety, depression, friendship conflicts, family tensions, or questions about who they are and who they want to become. I help you develop emotional regulation skills to manage intense feelings, navigate complicated relationships with peers and family members, and build confidence in your own voice and decision-making. We'll work on challenging perfectionism, addressing social anxiety, processing difficult experiences, and developing healthy coping strategies that don't involve self-harm or other destructive behaviors. I also help you communicate more effectively with parents or caregivers, set appropriate boundaries, and develop a stronger sense of your authentic self separate from others' expectations. My role is to be a trusted adult who listens without judgment, validates your experiences, and empowers you with tools to handle whatever challenges come your way as you grow into the person you're meant to be.
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I now work with young people from 18 years of age only
AUTISM, ASPERGER's and ADHD
We are becoming more aware of the Neurodiversity we have in the world, and also the struggles that are caused by a society that is developed in the interest of the majority. This means that those that may approach relationships differently, or process situations in a different way may feel 'different' or out of place. In working with those with Autism, Aspergers or ADHD I find that by moving away from the general label and focusing on the individual and their own challenges can help bring more sense to the struggles they are facing.
Sometimes families need support when those close to them approach things in a very different way, or when they just need to vent their inner most feelings. I have worked supporting children with different needs in an educational setting for many years, and have done much research in this subject area with a hope to bring understanding to the challenges it can bring. My experience has brought me diverse perspectives which allows me some insight into the challenges faced.
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Send me a message so that we can take this step together
Email: jobirdcounselling @gmail.com
Mobile: 07305730460