Julie Mitchell

My first career was as a police officer of 27 years service. Throughout this time,  I encountered people in all walks of life whose lives had been affected by mental ill-health. This ranged from common issues such as stress, anxiety, depression, and self-harm, to complex problems such as post-traumatic stress disorder. 

I undertook additional roles to provide support to colleagues who were experiencing problems and those subject to disciplinary processes. I found the help I provided to be particularly rewarding and therefore decided, in preparation for retirement from the police service, that I would build on my BSc Psychology degree and train to be a therapeutic counsellor. 

During my training, and subsequently, I provided many hours of voluntary work to a local bereavement support service. I found that clients who were struggling to cope with their bereavement were often struggling with other aspects of their life, including relationship difficulties, physical or emotional abuse, or other traumatic events. I found that given the opportunity to talk through their difficulties, and be heard without judgment, clients felt more able to accept what had happened and be able to more forward in a positive way. 

I am a private practice counsellor and provide a flexible service to meet the needs of each individual client. Counselling appointments are 50 minutes long, normally weekly, and the number of sessions can be adjusted as appropriate. Some clients feel that 3 to 6 sessions are enough, whilst others require longer-term counselling support.

I adapt the type of counselling support according to the needs of the client. For those wishing to address 'symptoms' of common issues such as anxiety or panic, a Cognitive Behavioural Therapy approach may be suitable. However for those wishing to address the underlying issues behind their physical or emotional reactions, a person-centred approach may help. This entails listening to the client and truly understanding their experience, without judgment.  

Sharing personal information with a relative stranger can be a daunting prospect. I seek to develop a strong therapeutic relationship with clients, to help them to feel comfortable to speak with trust and confidence, and relinquish the burden of troubles that have been holding them back from living a positive and enriching life.

During the COVID19 pandemic, I am offering counselling sessions through video and telephone. When 'normal' life resumes, I will also offer sessions face to face, in my therapy room at my home.

I believe that the success of counselling outcomes for the client is more reliant on the quality of the relationship between counsellor and client, rather than the type of counselling approach. Before you decide to undertake counselling sessions with me, I offer a telephone consultation, free of charge, for you to explore what I can offer to address your needs. Feel free to give me a call to see if I may be the right person to help you.