About Me
RJ Counselling & Wellbeing
My journey into counselling was not a straight line, but every role, experience and learning opportunity has shaped the therapist I am today.
Before becoming a counsellor, I worked in a variety of roles supporting children, young people and families. I have experienced both sides of support — as a professional helping families, and as a parent navigating times when my own family needed understanding and support. At times, I have held both of those roles simultaneously.
When support felt limited, I used the knowledge and skills I had gained through my work to better understand what was happening and explore different ways of supporting my family. This changed the way I viewed behaviour, emotions and wellbeing, and gave me a deeper understanding of the importance of looking beyond what we see on the surface.
This journey shaped my approach to working with children, young people and adults. It influenced my work in children’s wellbeing, mindfulness, emotional regulation and behavioural support, and eventually led me into psychotherapeutic counselling.
I have a particular interest in understanding the relationship between our experiences, our nervous system, our emotions and the ways we cope.
My learning has included areas such as attachment, trauma, sensory needs, interoception, emotional regulation and neurodivergence. I use this knowledge alongside counselling theory and my ongoing professional development to support clients in ways that feel individual and meaningful to them.
I strongly value lived experience knowledge and the neurodiversity paradigm, which recognises neurodivergence as a natural part of human diversity. My aim is to support people in understanding themselves, identifying their needs and finding ways to thrive without needing to hide or change who they are.
My thirst for knowledge and skills led me from emotional and behavioural regulation, attachment and brain development, to understanding interoception and sensory needs, the autonomic nervous system, and the links between trauma and neurodivergence. I have become a passionate follower of lived-experience education and research, using the neurodiversity paradigm (a term coined by Dr Nick Walker) to understand and affirm neurodivergence, rather than the traditional medical model that aims to treat and cure.
A sense of safety and acceptance is central to my work.
I have experience supporting people affected by trauma, abuse, loss and difficult life experiences, and I use trauma-informed approaches throughout my practice.
I believe therapy works best when it is collaborative. You are the expert in your own life, and my role is to offer a supportive space where we can explore what is happening, make sense of your experiences, and work towards the changes that matter to you.
I work with a range of concerns, including anxiety, low self-esteem, emotional overwhelm, trauma, grief, relationship difficulties and the impact of neurodivergence.
As a neurodivergent person within a neurodiverse household, I have personal understanding of the challenges that can come from navigating a world that does not always accommodate different ways of thinking, communicating and experiencing life.
I also understand that many people have spent years feeling misunderstood, adapting themselves to fit in, or questioning why things seem harder than they appear for others.
Therapy can be a space to explore your experiences with curiosity and compassion, including your strengths, challenges, needs and identity.
Sensory and nervous system regulation are important parts of my own wellbeing as well as my therapeutic work.
Creativity, movement, sensory supports, quiet reflection, strong emotions and moments of overwhelm are all welcome in sessions. My website photos give a few clues about some of the things I enjoy outside of work — including woodland walks and creating calming environments with different forms of light.
Confidentiality is an essential part of therapeutic work. This is discussed as part of the counselling agreement with clients.
I am registered with the Information Commissioner’s Office and follow GDPR guidance. Please see my Privacy Policy for further information.
