Jo Heaton

Face to face appointments suspended for time being due to Coronavirus. Video-call and phone appointments available. 

Hello, I understand people seek counselling for many different reasons and that taking the first steps can feel daunting, that includes finding the right counsellor for you.

Perhaps I can tell you a little about my approach and my experience to help you decide whether you feel we could work together. I passionately believe in the healing potential of being truly listened to and heard and that’s what I strive to offer; a confidential space in which you feel safe to explore your thoughts, feelings, behaviours or whatever is troubling you. For me it’s about finding out what’s going on for you. Working together to support you in exploring and drawing upon your own resources, to gain greater awareness and understanding of yourself, to make sense of past or current events, relationships or life situation; to make the changes you want to make. To help you in your pursuit of emotional and mental well-being. As your counsellor my role is to support you through this journey rather than to give you advice or tell you what is best for you.

Qualifications and experience:
As well as providing a counselling service in private practice I have counselled in NHS primary care within a health centre and in a university counselling unit and so have experience of a wide range of issues,  including, anxiety, depression, bereavement, relationship difficulties, trauma, abuse, personal development. I qualified with a Post Graduate Diploma in Counselling, University of Strathclyde in 2016 and gained BACP Accreditation in 2019

I offer: One-to-one, face-to-face person-centred counselling for adults. Short or long term counselling; flexible daytime, evening and weekend appointments.

Currently I offer sessions each week day except Thursday, including evenings on Mondays and Tuesdays.

I'm a Person-centred counsellor and supervisor. I was intuitively drawn to the Person-Centred approach; it reflects my philosophy toward life and my personal conduct. I passionately believe in the potential for healing and change that can come from working relationally, from being truly listened to and being heard; as a practitioner that’s what I strive to offer. I work collaboratively with clients in their endeavour to make sense of themselves, their experiences and whatever it is that is troubling them and in moving towards the changes they want to make. As a supervisor I intend to offer an expansive place in which supervisees can freely explore all aspects of their work and whatever they may be experiencing that impacts on them providing safe practice; safe for the client and for the practitioner. I work collaboratively with supervisees to support them to provide an ethical practice whilst ensuring they keep in their awareness their need for self-care in managing their caseload.

I currently work in private practice with a wide range of individuals over the age of 16 years on an open-ended basis. I have experience of counselling on short-term basis with clients from EAP's, Third Sector organisations and within the NHS. 

I have a particular interest in understanding the current emphasis on the medicalisation of human distress and the impact of this on an individual's understanding of what they experience.

I welcome supervision enquiries from practitioners interested in supervision from a Person-centred approach.

I am predominately offering supervision on-line (via Zoom or Skype video-call). Depending on individual circumstances and with strict adherence to Covid mitigations I can offer in-person supervision sessions. I am currently working from home in an office space which is entirely separate from my house. There is one step into the building.

I like to offer an initial half-hour meeting (free-of-charge) to provide an opportunity for both parties to get a feel for whether we fit and if the kind of supervision I offer is what the supervisee is looking for. At the point of initial enquiry I like to provide a copy of my supervision agreement so that we can discuss it at our initial meeting.