Testimonials

‘I have seen many types of therapists over the years and Joanne truly is the only one that made me feel at ease and that she "got me". She is warm and friendly but also very professional and knowledgeable.’

‘I brought an honest heart and an open (yet troubled) mind to the table and Joanne helped me to not only confront but dissipate the pain and self-loathing I was carrying with me. Using EMDR technique, decades of buried suffering quite literally lifted from my shoulders. I no longer feel overburdened by self-blame, conflicting blockages and disconnections (caused by traumatic childhood experiences) but have learnt to walk beside them, embrace them. I will be eternally grateful for Joanne’s non-judgemental guidance and support. A truly wonderful, gifted human being who I simply cannot recommend highly enough.’

‘While living abroad I was involved in an accident involving a lorry. The trauma of this led to my being eventually diagnosed with PTSD. However the medication prescribed for the pain did little, and I started having panic attacks. On returning to UK, the panic attack continued, but supported by the medical practice, I sought help from Joanne. Tested again, Joanne diagnosed PTSD and it was decided I should engage with EMDR therapy. It was so difficult to revisit the accident, the deflection of guilt and the lack of care. But every Thursday I found myself, with determination, standing at the clinic door. Why? Because Joanne in her quiet way was ever supportive! It was OK to be upset in this safe place, and to go at my own pace. And gradually it got easier. I don’t fear the car now, and I have even driven a little. Joanne has quite simply helped me to get my life back.’

I sought help from Jo for trauma-based anxiety. She met me with warmth, compassion and empathy. We had a number of sessions looking at different types of therapy which would best address my underlying anxiety. I left therapy with Jo with a dramatically lower anxiety and depression score than the score I had when I first started my therapy journey. I am incredibly grateful to Jo, starting therapy can be intimidating but she made the sessions manageable, productive and full of support. Thank you so much!

'I was referred to Joanne by my insurance company after being diagnosed as having PTSD after a car crash 3 years ago. I had no idea what to expect or even how it could help with my anxiety whilst driving and constant images of the crash. After a few sessions i felt a bit less anxious driving , but after a few more sessions the results were incredible completely stress free whilst driving and images I thought would be there forever are almost impossible to recall. I can’t thank Joanne enough'

'I had therapy with Joanne for around a year and a half and it was life changing. I went from having debilitating anxiety and constantly ruminating to breaking free from those negative cycles and learning techniques to help when times are tough. I could not recommend her enough, although I hope she doesn’t get too many clients in case I need her again in the future!'

'I had read up on EMDR myself and having a somewhat sceptical mindset I went into the first session open minded but not too reliant on its success but my goodness, it was intense! I faced some very suppressed images which had been haunting me, cried lots and if I’m honest after the first session I couldn’t say if it had helped. However, only a week on, I had stopped having the nightmares I used to continually have. We then had our second EMDR session and I could vividly imagine all the same images from the first session but with no real emotional connection. I was imagining some pretty horrific scenes and in one week the change in my reaction to them was literally unbelievable. I’ve since moved forward and been able to face the milestones we originally set out and we have even been looking at character traits and other helpful aspects of my life that have helped me with things I didn’t even know were issues or relevant. Joanne has such a wonderful caring nature, she allows you to just be yourself, use whatever language you want, and say whatever you feel. You feel so at ease. She also has a wonderful way of being able to make you question why you have come to particular decisions and makes you re question them, almost making you think you’re questioning yourself rather than her question you. I don’t know if that makes sense but it does to me. Joanne has truly helped me with a very troubled time in my life when I was really struggling and needed help. I would honestly recommend both the concept of therapy to anyone (having thought I’d never be one to need it) and Joanne herself as a fantastic therapist.'

I had been suffering with a breakdown as a result of the collapse of my marriage. Jo has helped me through one of the most difficult periods of my life and help me get my life back on track. Words cannot express my sincere gratitude for the compassionate and non-judgmental way in which Jo has worked with me. She is an absolute professional and I highly recommend her services.

‘I went to therapy because I had completely lost my confidence in doing day-to-day things and at work. I had no self-respect, I was sad and down and I just wanted life to end, but I never felt I could actually take my own life so would just wish I would die in an accident at times. I am a very sceptical person and I didn’t think I would ever be the “type” to see a therapist. But I needed to try it, I wanted to find a way to help me cope with the stresses of life, treat myself better and enjoy life more. I took it seriously and I was surprised how much it helped me. Joanne was very friendly and so easy to talk to. It made it much easier for me to offload sensitive information. She is very knowledgeable and explained everything so well. Therapy has changed my thought processes, and I feel it has made me more confident, have more self-respect and ultimately made me much happier.’

‘After several years of living with increasingly unmanageable OCD, I finally decided to see a therapist. Jo quickly made me feel at ease and her knowledge of anxiety and OCD helped me enormously, both in tackling my OCD behaviour but also in helping me to feel less embarrassed about what I was going through. After many years of struggling with OCD and trying to tackle it on my own, I was amazed at how quickly I was able to make progress – I was soon able to face fears and do things that I hadn’t been able to do in years which felt absolutely incredible. I particularly valued Jo’s understanding attitude which made it easy to discuss things I had felt ashamed of for years as well as her expert advice; she really understood what I was going through and how best to support me in tackling the OCD. Jo used CBT in our sessions and together we decided on Exposure Response Prevention exercises for me to try at home – Jo always managed to help me find exercises that were at the right ‘level’ to be a challenge but manageable, celebrating with me when I was able to confront OCD behaviours and supporting me when I struggled. She also drew on other types of therapies where she saw they could be of benefit to give me maximum support. I can’t say a big enough thank you to Jo for all the help and support she has given me through therapy – it is no exaggeration to say it has been life-changing. I would thoroughly recommend to anyone considering therapy to take the first step.’

‘I had some therapy before but I never felt it actually helped with my depression/PTSD as it didn’t seem to get to the root of the problems or offer any explanation as to why I felt like I did. I was also never given any guidance on what I could do to help myself. This all changed once I found Jo and was the complete opposite to my previous therapy sessions. Jo not only listened, but was able to explain how things that had happened in my past had affected me growing up. For the first time I was able to link things together to help me really understand what I was experiencing and how I could start to make the changes I needed to, that have ultimately improved my work, my relationships and my life.’

‘Joanne is an accomplished therapist who is so compassionate and caring. Not only do you feel in such a safe place with her, but brings you to the point you’re in a safe place with yourself too. She’s helped me back to being “me” again, and supported to rebuild my lost confidence through the sessions. Essentially, a therapist should be someone you can trust and facilitates your recovery, and Joanne encompasses this completely.’

‘I was suffering very badly with stress and anxiety and needed to know how to help myself manage this. Joanne was exceptional, she has helped me so much, more than I ever hoped for. She is such a warm friendly person, with great empathy and understanding, I have been able to tell her everything. Joanne has given me so much understanding of why I felt the way I was and how to manage this. I have solutions and methods that I can use forever. Admitting you have a problem and that you need help is a massive step in the healing process but once you do it, you are half-way there. I cannot recommend Joanne enough, she has been truly wonderful. I felt like I had a new friend, someone I could confide in and not be judged in any way. I will miss our meetings. My advice to anyone who needs help, go and see Joanne, you will never regret it and will learn so much. Good luck.’

‘Joanne is an extremely competent and passionate therapist. I initially saw Joanne through the NHS many years ago where she helped me considerably and I sought her out again in private practice more recently when going through a bad patch. Joanne is very experienced and skilled in her work and creates a safe and warm space where you feel able to fully open up and trust her implicitly as a therapist. Due to her experience, knowledge and excellent interpersonal and communication skills, Joanne is able to be very flexible in her approach to whatever subject matter or issues arise in order to provide the best possible support. I feel that Joanne's skill as a therapist is matched only by her genuine care and empathy for those she supports. As is clear from my review, I really cannot speak highly enough of her as a therapist.’

‘I had thought about trying some sort of CBT therapy at different times over the years but hadn’t actually done anything about it, I don’t think I really knew where to start or how to explain how I was really struggling on the inside but looking ok with no obvious problems on the outside. I felt instantly at ease and felt able to talk easily with you; somehow you knew what to ask which helped guide me in my thoughts and understanding of my difficulties and how I had developed my self protection strategies. The EMDR (flicky eye thing as I call it) was totally unbelievable as to how it lead me to feel so much better and calm about some very real and very difficult experiences in my past. I feel it has transformed how I think about past situations and this in turn has helped me build a more positive outlook. I have also learned how to deal with everyday events anxieties and frustrations in a more rational and calm way, which has meant I’m not slipping back into my previous way of thinking and that negative spiral of emotions which had lead me to very dark places before. In short I feel much stronger, more calm and even in mood and actually happy in myself. I feel I have learned ways of dealing with stressful situations that might come into my life. I feel like me again but better and stronger. I can’t thank you enough for how you’ve helped me. I feel I could come back if I need to at anytime without feeling awkward and you’d understand I’d been ok on my own for a while but might just need a chat and a check in to keep going strong’

‘Jo was very knowledgeable and helped me to understand the problems that I was having with anxiety. She helped me realise that I was not alone and helped me to find ways to cope. Asking for help can be one of the hardest things to do but it has been so worth it. I was really nervous before my first session, but those nerves disappeared quickly as I found it very easy to talk to Jo. After therapy, I am now in a much better place. I have returned to university to continue my course feeling stronger and much more confident.’

‘Jo’s knowledge and style as a therapist and as a person is excellent, Jo immediately put me at ease and from our first session I knew she would be able to help me with my problem. Jo has helped me to process a major trauma in my life, I am no longer experiencing flashbacks and most importantly don’t blame myself for what happened. I have started to take more care of myself physically and mentally. I feel happy, have more confidence in myself and feel like I am now back to being me. If you feel you need psychological therapy, I highly recommend you seeking it with Jo.’

‘Joanne is amazing, she helped me get to where I wanted to be and to be the person I’ve always wanted to become! Joanne is compassionate and I felt safe and comfortable to share my worries from our very first session. I couldn’t recommend Joanne enough! If you have doubts, worries or anything on your mind go! It’s the one of the best decisions i’ve ever made.’

‘I cannot recommend this practice highly enough. Jo is everything you would want in a therapist. She is empathetic, caring and human and takes the trouble to really get to know you and what is ailing you before she even starts to look at ideas to help - very refreshing, given that most therapists in my experience have prematurely diagnosed you and started you on a generic treatment plan before you've even told them your name. Jo has the ability to put you at ease instantly and is ridiculously easy to talk to. More importantly, when you walk out of the door she doesn't forget about you until your next visit. On numerous occasions between sessions, I would receive an email checking up on me and seeing how things were going - each time I arrived at a session she had full recollection of where we left etc, etc. I only visited Jo's practice for 3 months due to personal circumstances, but she achieved more progress with me in that time than I could have dreamed possible. I will finish this review with the same sentence that I started it - I cannot recommend this practice highly enough.’

'I self-referred to Jo following some issues which reoccurred following the Covid19 lockdowns. Jo has proven to be kind and insightful and provided me with various techniques to control anxiety and OCD. I have gone through CBT before but Jo was able not only to address the immediate challenges I faced but also delved deeper into the reasons why, which has given me a real insight and helped me develop a calmer and more balanced approach to life.’

‘I had therapy with Jo to help me with depression and anxiety. I was at an all time low when I first saw Jo, not knowing how I could get through each day. Jo was empathetic, professional and helped me slowly build my confidence and find joy in life again. I began to actually look forward to my sessions as I was able to talk freely without judgement. Jo was knowledgeable and able to suggest many different approaches for me to try. I would recommend Jo and I thank her for helping me to become me again.’

‘I felt comfortable from the start. It was good to know I had common symptoms to millions of others and that I was talking to someone who recognises this that knew how to address it. I have travelled for years on planes, trains, cars, boats, tubes and trams without anxiety but the last couple of years I have been crippled with a claustrophobia symptoms when “trapped” in a vehicle. Having someone explain the need to reset the subconscious mind and avoid “safety habits” really worked. It is easy to try to tell yourself you are fine but a fight or flight takes over physically that is hard to stop. Jo helped me recognise this and address it head on. Within a few weeks my anxiety had all but gone. I cannot thank Jo enough for the help’

‘I genuinely can’t thank you enough for how you helped me. I went from constantly blaming myself to understanding myself and why my brain was working in the way it was. This helped me massively with my OCD but also had a wider positive influence on my self-confidence, self-respect and general understanding of others. I think sometimes the most difficult step is asking for help through fear of the quality of help or the reception you might receive, but this should never be a worry when considering therapy with Jo. It was my first time being able to talk so openly to someone who genuinely understood what I was saying and it felt like a weight lifted off my shoulders. I would highly recommend to anyone who feels like they need a compassionate approach to an issue that is never made to feel like an insurmountable task to overcome.’

‘Jo is a fantastic therapist, I came to her after having completed 3 years of an alternative therapy and still feeling “stuck” mentally with my feelings of limiting self-belief and anxiety. Jo put me at ease from the very first session; she is warm, easy going and lets you work at your own pace. Jo helped me to “connect the dots” at a time I couldn’t see the wood from the trees in my own headspace - she enabled me to take the learnings from my previous therapy and integrate them with the teachings she had around the core principles of CBT and the way our brains naturally work, such as our different states of mind, why thoughts are just things, and how to empower & soothe ourselves rather than let the “critic” hijack our thoughts emotions and beliefs. Fundamentally, Jo helped me achieve a “lightbulb” moment and since working with her, I am in a much better place in terms of my self-belief, the strength of my relationships with family & friends, and my career. If you are on the fence about taking the brave step to seek support, you won’t find a better person to help you on your journey than Jo. I can’t recommend her highly enough. Thanks for everything Jo!’