Individual Counselling, EMDR and Supervision (over 18s only)
Experience
I have 17 years’ counselling experience and 14 years’ supervision experience, gained in Private Practice and in a large voluntary counselling agency in Bristol. I have also been practising EMDR since 2011.
Approach
As a person-centred / humanistic counsellor, I believe that we all have the desire and capacity to fulfil our true potential. I believe that you are the expert on your own life and that you know what is best for you, even if at the moment that doesn’t feel true.
As human beings, we all had “conditions of worth” imposed on us by others early in life, which led us to believe that we are only acceptable if we think, feel and behave in particular ways. These beliefs often continue, unchallenged, into adulthood, holding us back from fulfilling our potential.
Because we have a deep need to feel loved and valued, we may repress or distort aspects of our inner experience that we believe are not acceptable to others. For example, if we believe it is unacceptable to express anger, we may suppress or distort this perfectly normal emotion for fear of being negatively judged or rejected. Suppression of emotion, if used habitually, can negatively affect our wellbeing over time.
My aim as a therapist is to provide an environment in which you will feel safe to access and express the full range of your inner experience. My hope is that in this environment, you will come to accept and trust yourself more fully and make constructive changes from a much freer place. You will be challenged to reconsider some of your beliefs that once served a purpose, but which are no longer helpful to you.
Whilst I am fundamentally a person-centred counsellor, I have recently completed a MSc in Psychology, which has brought an evidence-based way of thinking to my work. Where appropriate, I may offer psychoeducation or evidence-based strategies to help you manage your emotions. The basis of our work, however, will remain relational and collaborative, in line with my person-centred values.
If you have experienced traumatic or distressing life events which still affect you today, you may want to ask about EMDR, a therapy which is very effective in resolving post-traumatic stress. To further enhance my skills in working with clients who have experienced trauma, I have studied Somatic Trauma Therapy under Babette Rothschild and have trained in the Rewind Technique with David Muss.
I offer supervision to qualified and student counsellors and other professionals on an individual or group basis.
Qualifications and Memberships
Education
MSc Psychology (Distinction) (University of Roehampton)
BA (Hons) French Language and Literature (Uni. Leeds)
Professional qualifications
Dip HE Counselling (Uni. Gloucestershire)
PGDip Consultative Supervision (Uni. Wales, Newport)
EMDR Level 3 of 3
Professional memberships
Graduate Member of the British Psychological Society (GMBPsS)
Senior Accredited member of the National Counselling and Psychotherapy Society (NCPS)
Registered member of the British Association for Counselling and Psychotherapy (BACP)
Member of EMDR UK
I adhere to the National Counselling Society’s Code of Ethical Practice and am subject to its complaints procedure.
What clients say
“After attending counselling with Julia for two years, I have managed to regain personal power in a situation where I felt I had none. I feel it has made the difference and enabled me to cope and see things clearly. Thank you.”
“I saw Julia for several sessions having had trouble adapting to fatherhood and the knock-on effect it had on my relationship with my wife. She was very helpful in helping me not only understand my anger and guilt but find ways to deal with them and move forward. Having gone into the sessions initially skeptical about counselling I found it to be incredibly beneficial.”
“I really gained a lot from about six weeks of counselling with Julia. She helped me to listen to my thoughts, find a voice again and be empowered to implement change in my life and in my view of self. I have recommended Julia to friends and know of one individual who has made really positive changes in his life as a result of Julia’s help.”
“This was my first experience of counselling. I had no idea of how the process would evolve. To say that it has been a success is an understatement. It has taken a while, as Julia suggested it might, but I feel that my issues, which I felt at the time were unresolvable, have now been well and truly sorted through and put into their place. The changes I have gone through have been, for me, quite phenomenal. I started this journey expecting nothing and came out the other side as a better, stronger person than I was at the beginning. It has surpassed all my expectations and I now feel able to move on with my life with confidence. Thanks Julia.”
“It’s not easy to share your problems with someone you don’t know! Julia has a wonderful calm manner which is impartial and professional to help you with any issues that may be troubling you. Having been at a time in which stress and anxiety was a normal way of life, Julia has helped me change the way I think about things in a whole new way and has benefited me entirely. Thank you so much Julia.”
“Lovely lady offering a warm, open and non – judgemental environment in which you are able to talk about issues which may be troubling you. It was a lovely experience for me and thoroughly recommend Julia. If it is your first time having counselling, she is the very best to go to for an all round holistic experience.”
