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“Hi there, I am counsellor Jo”

Emotional Support Counselling – Online or In Person in Wickford, Essex (SS11)

Are you feeling like you’re just about coping?

When we’re “coping,” it often doesn’t feel good. Our minds can be busy, overwhelming, and exhausting — like trying to stay afloat while pushed underwater. That’s how I understand coping.

A Wealth of Experience, A Compassionate Approach

Choosing a counsellor is a deeply personal decision, and you deserve to know that the person supporting you has the experience to help.

Over the years, I have worked across specialist addiction services, community mental health, hospice care and private practice, supporting children and young people (aged 11+), adults, families and groups through some of life’s most challenging experiences.

My experience includes:

Specialist Addiction Services

  • Individual counselling
  • Therapeutic group work
  • Supporting people to understand the emotional roots of addiction
  • Promoting self-awareness, self-compassion and recovery

Mind – Community Mental Health

  • Counselling children and young people (11–17)
  • Counselling adults
  • Supporting anxiety, depression, emotional overwhelm, low self-esteem and relationship difficulties

Hospice Counselling

  • Supporting people living with a life-limiting illness
  • Bereavement counselling
  • Supporting families
  • Facilitating therapeutic bereavement groups

Throughout my career I have worked collaboratively within multidisciplinary teams (MDTs), recognising the importance of joined-up care, safeguarding and ethical practice.

Alongside my counselling work, I have also mentored trainee and qualified counsellors and now provide clinical supervision, supporting other therapists to develop reflective, ethical and confident practice.

These experiences have shaped the counsellor I am today. Whatever has brought you to counselling, my aim is to offer a compassionate, non-judgemental space where you feel heard, understood and supported.

Carrying an overwhelmed mind can feel lonely and frightening. Reaching out for support takes real courage, and by being here, reading this, you are already taking an important step for yourself.

You may feel that the ways you’ve coped aren’t “good enough.” I see it differently. You found ways to survive and manage the best you could at the time — and that has brought you to where you are today. Now, you may be seeking a calmer, more balanced way forward, and that takes courage.

All of us — you and me included — will struggle at times in life. We naturally look for ways to ease or avoid pain until we reach a point where we want to understand ourselves more deeply.

Together, we can explore what has brought you to this place of feeling overwhelmed. We might look at whether what you’re experiencing is rooted in the present, connected to past experiences that still feel very alive, or a combination of both. When we feel overwhelmed, it can seem like everything is black and white — good or bad — and we lose sight of the in-between. Part of our work is to gently rediscover those “shades of grey.”

Therapy with me offers a space where you can talk openly and begin to connect with your feelings in a safe, supportive way. I bring compassion and empathy to help you understand that, in the moments you struggled, you needed support — and perhaps didn’t receive it in the way you deserved.

It’s human to look back and think, “I should have known better.” But that often comes without self-compassion. The truth is, you were always doing the best you could with what you had at the time.

Through counselling, we can build your self-understanding and nurture a more compassionate relationship with yourself. Support isn’t about fixing you — it’s about helping you feel more like yourself again.

Free 20-Minute Consultation

Choosing the right therapist is important.
That’s why I offer a free 20-minute consultation (by email).

This gives you the chance to:

  • share what’s troubling you
  • ask any questions
  • see if I’m the right therapist for you

Take the First Step

You don’t need to wait until things feel unbearable to seek support.

👉 Use the Contact Me button below to get in touch.
Help is available — and feeling calmer is possible.

Contact Me

https://www.spill.chat/mental-health-statistics/anxiety-statistics (January 19, 2024).

You are not alone in looking for support. You are one of many people in the UK who need some support. The image above has been added in the hopes that you can see you are not alone in seeking counselling. 

If you would like to know what it is like to work with me, you can use the Recommendations button below to be taken to my Google page, where you can read my reviews.

Recommendations


Here is a link for some simple grounding techniques for you to try today.

Grounding techniques for you

Finding the right tools for your anxiety is like finding the right pair of shoes. Grounding techniques are similar to finding comfy shoes; you need to try them before picking the right ones for you. My favourite from the list is the 5-4-3-2-1 Technique. Which one do you feel would be most helpful to you?  

Contact me

Home

“Hi there, I am counsellor Jo”

Emotional Support Counselling – Online or In Person in Wickford, Essex (SS11)

Are you feeling like you’re just about coping?

When we’re “coping,” it often doesn’t feel good. Our minds can be busy, overwhelming, and exhausting — like trying to stay afloat while pushed underwater. That’s how I understand coping.

A Wealth of Experience, A Compassionate Approach

Choosing a counsellor is a deeply personal decision, and you deserve to know that the person supporting you has the experience to help.

Over the years, I have worked across specialist addiction services, community mental health, hospice care and private practice, supporting children and young people (aged 11+), adults, families and groups through some of life’s most challenging experiences.

My experience includes:

Specialist Addiction Services

  • Individual counselling
  • Therapeutic group work
  • Supporting people to understand the emotional roots of addiction
  • Promoting self-awareness, self-compassion and recovery

Mind – Community Mental Health

  • Counselling children and young people (11–17)
  • Counselling adults
  • Supporting anxiety, depression, emotional overwhelm, low self-esteem and relationship difficulties

Hospice Counselling

  • Supporting people living with a life-limiting illness
  • Bereavement counselling
  • Supporting families
  • Facilitating therapeutic bereavement groups

Throughout my career I have worked collaboratively within multidisciplinary teams (MDTs), recognising the importance of joined-up care, safeguarding and ethical practice.

Alongside my counselling work, I have also mentored trainee and qualified counsellors and now provide clinical supervision, supporting other therapists to develop reflective, ethical and confident practice.

These experiences have shaped the counsellor I am today. Whatever has brought you to counselling, my aim is to offer a compassionate, non-judgemental space where you feel heard, understood and supported.

Carrying an overwhelmed mind can feel lonely and frightening. Reaching out for support takes real courage, and by being here, reading this, you are already taking an important step for yourself.

You may feel that the ways you’ve coped aren’t “good enough.” I see it differently. You found ways to survive and manage the best you could at the time — and that has brought you to where you are today. Now, you may be seeking a calmer, more balanced way forward, and that takes courage.

All of us — you and me included — will struggle at times in life. We naturally look for ways to ease or avoid pain until we reach a point where we want to understand ourselves more deeply.

Together, we can explore what has brought you to this place of feeling overwhelmed. We might look at whether what you’re experiencing is rooted in the present, connected to past experiences that still feel very alive, or a combination of both. When we feel overwhelmed, it can seem like everything is black and white — good or bad — and we lose sight of the in-between. Part of our work is to gently rediscover those “shades of grey.”

Therapy with me offers a space where you can talk openly and begin to connect with your feelings in a safe, supportive way. I bring compassion and empathy to help you understand that, in the moments you struggled, you needed support — and perhaps didn’t receive it in the way you deserved.

It’s human to look back and think, “I should have known better.” But that often comes without self-compassion. The truth is, you were always doing the best you could with what you had at the time.

Through counselling, we can build your self-understanding and nurture a more compassionate relationship with yourself. Support isn’t about fixing you — it’s about helping you feel more like yourself again.

Free 20-Minute Consultation

Choosing the right therapist is important.
That’s why I offer a free 20-minute consultation (by email).

This gives you the chance to:

  • share what’s troubling you
  • ask any questions
  • see if I’m the right therapist for you

Take the First Step

You don’t need to wait until things feel unbearable to seek support.

👉 Use the Contact Me button below to get in touch.
Help is available — and feeling calmer is possible.

Contact Me

https://www.spill.chat/mental-health-statistics/anxiety-statistics (January 19, 2024).

You are not alone in looking for support. You are one of many people in the UK who need some support. The image above has been added in the hopes that you can see you are not alone in seeking counselling. 

If you would like to know what it is like to work with me, you can use the Recommendations button below to be taken to my Google page, where you can read my reviews.

Recommendations


Here is a link for some simple grounding techniques for you to try today.

Grounding techniques for you

Finding the right tools for your anxiety is like finding the right pair of shoes. Grounding techniques are similar to finding comfy shoes; you need to try them before picking the right ones for you. My favourite from the list is the 5-4-3-2-1 Technique. Which one do you feel would be most helpful to you?  

Contact me

🌱 Feeling overwhelmed, stuck, or unsure where to turn?

You don’t have to navigate life’s challenges alone.
At Easy Reach Counselling, I provide a warm, confidential space where you can talk openly, heal deeply, and rebuild from the inside out.

🌻 Support for:
• Anxiety & stress
• Depression & low mood
• Relationship difficulties
• Trauma & life transitions
• Self-esteem & personal growth

💬 Online sessions available
📅 Flexible appointments
🤝 Compassionate, professional therapist ready to support you

Take your first step toward feeling better.
👉 Message me today using my website to book a free consultation.

Do human beings crave consistency? Can we provide consistency for ourselves by going to nature?

I think we humans naturally seek consistency in so many ways: the longevity of our relationships, the reliability of the people around us, and the feeling that something steady is holding us when life becomes uncertain. In modern times, many of us feel overwhelmed, and we often turn to technology in the hope of finding connection and stability. But I wonder—how grounding does that really feel for you?

For me, I have to return to nature. Even though it is always changing, it remains a consistent presence. The seasons shift, weather moves, light changes—but nature is always there, offering something steady to return to. It grounds me in a way that technology never can.

So it raises the question:
What else can we add to our lives to feel grounded?
What rhythms, practices, or places help you feel anchored when everything else feels uncertain?

Is Christmas already weighing on your chest?

If the pressure to be “festive” is leaving you stressed, overwhelmed, or dreading certain family dynamics, you’re not alone—and you don’t have to push through it on your own.

Whether it’s the anxiety of forced cheer, the emotional load of complicated relatives, or the fear of Christmas Day itself, support is available.

Imagine feeling calmer, clearer, and more in control this season.
In our sessions, we’ll explore practical tools and personalised strategies to help you navigate the holidays with more ease and confidence.

You deserve a Christmas that feels manageable—not something to survive.
If you’re ready for support, please reach out through my website to book a free chat. Let’s make this season gentler together.

Looking for supervision that feels supportive, collaborative, and genuinely human?

I offer a space where you can breathe, be honest, and explore what’s really happening in your client work—without judgement and without the “expert telling you what you should do” vibe.

Bring your challenges, your wins, your questions, and even the clients who push your buttons. This is your place to unpack transference, countertransference, ethical dilemmas, and the moments that leave you thinking, “What is going on here?”

Together, we’ll:

  • expand your therapeutic toolkit
  • explore creative and theoretical approaches
  • walk through ethical decisions with clarity
  • support your wellbeing (because you’re the instrument of your work)

And yes—humour is welcome. Sometimes a chuckle is exactly what a tough session needs.

If you want supervision that trusts your instincts, respects your experience, and helps you grow into your most authentic therapeutic self, I’d love to work with you.

Feel free to reach out through my website to arrange a free chat about how we might work together.

What do you need your supervision to be?

Do you need a space filled with air where you can breathe and say how you really feel? No, but really!? If you can’t process how you are feeling about your more challenging clients in supervision, where can you? Would it be helpful to feel confident in saying this person reminds me of… and have someone help you explore any transference or countertransference?

Would you like a supportive space where I don’t behave as if I am the expert on your clinical caseload but offer support as an experienced other? I can listen to what you feel is best for your clients, and together, we can consider ethics and any laws that may apply. We can discuss different theories and creative techniques that may help you with your client work.

“If the only tool you have is a hammer, you tend to see every problem as a nail.” I’m with Abraham Maslow on needing more than just a hammer; I love working collaboratively with therapists/counsellors so we can add more tools to our toolboxes.

I do like to walk around an ethical dilemma using Tim Bonds’ ethical problem-solving model. In supervision with me, you will find an open colleague ready to walk around what is happening in your practice without the overtone of the expert ‘you should’. I believe you know your clients best, and I trust you are working with their best interests in mind.

You are your product, so your well-being is important in our space. If, as a colleague, I can help support you, you can go forward and support your clients. A chain of empathy, if you will. That’s what I love about our job: the ripple effect. We only need to be the pebble for the individual; then, they can change the ripple into a wave of change or not. ‘Or not’ client autonomy 😉 What’s your thoughts on humour in the supervision space? I found working as a counsellor we definitely need a laugh at times. Do you enjoy a little chuckle in supervision?

As a therapist/counsellor, you are as unique as a fingerprint. I offer a space filled with air where you can breathe and say how you really feel, a fertile ground to continue to grow into your unique counsellor/therapist self.

You can read more about how I practice supervision and my counselling experience on my supervision page. Please use the Contact Me function to get in touch. We can have a free 20-minute meeting so you can get a better feel for me and decide if I am the supervisor for you.
I look forward to meeting you.

Contact ME

Feeling anxious or overwhelmed?

Please, try my free Grounding tool for Anxiety at the bottom of this page, and let me know what you think.

Why we become overwhelmed Us humans tend to live in the future, always thinking about the next step and how much we need to get done. Living in the future and worrying about all the possible outcomes and what can go wrong leads us to become overwhelmed and anxious.

If you think about it, the future is unmanageable as there are too many variables. All the what-ifs can weigh down on us. As we become overwhelmed and anxious, we forget how capable we really are. Our mind has been flooded with all the what-ifs, and we can feel panicked, making us feel less capable than we actually are.

With tools we can reduce our own Anxiety If we can centre ourselves and bring ourselves back to the here and now, we can manage life again. We are effective in the here and now. Grounded in the here and now we can see what our next step is.

Free Grounding tool for anxiety A simple way of grounding yourself in the here and now is called the 5-4-3-2-1 technique. As the technique uses all your senses, you become a whole being again instead of living in you head with all the what-ifs. In the here and now you are just taking the next step.

Human-2-Human Counselling

Free anxiety easing tool- called the 54321 technique

If you are finding the next step anxiety-provoking, I have added a grounding tool for you to try. The free anxiety easing tool can be used whenever you are feeling overwhelmed. As your counsellor, I will offer these types of tools to help you manage when you feel overwhelmed or anxious. If you want to know more about my counselling style, please click the counselling link at the top of the page.