Hello, I’m Joanne, a grief and loss counsellor specialising in bereavement and suicide loss. I provide calm, trauma-informed online and telephone counselling across the UK for adults struggling with overwhelming grief, anxiety, depression and life after loss.
My approach is supportive and grounded, helping you make sense of your emotions, feel less alone, and find steadier ways to live with grief at your own pace.
Personal Touch
I came to this work through both professional training and lived experience, which has shaped how I sit with people in their grief. I'm steady, honest and unafraid of difficult conversations. I value compassion without platitudes, honesty without harshness, and creating space where nothing has to be minimised or explained away.
I believe healing happens when people feel truly heard and not judged. Outside of my work, I’m drawn to quiet moments, time outdoors and reflection, which mirrors how I practise: with care, presence and deep respect for each person’s pace and story.
Client Focus
I work primarily with adults who are navigating grief, bereavement and loss, including suicide bereavement and sudden or traumatic deaths. Many of the people I support feel overwhelmed, emotionally stuck, or disconnected from themselves and others after loss.
I work well with clients experiencing complex or prolonged grief, anxiety, depression, guilt, identity loss and the fear that life will never feel steady again. My approach suits those who want a calm, thoughtful space to explore difficult emotions at their own pace, without pressure to “move on” or explain themselves.
Background
I am a qualified grief and loss counsellor and an Accredited Member of the British Association for Counselling and Psychotherapy (BACP). I've been qualified for 5 years. My professional background includes extensive training in grief, bereavement and trauma-informed counselling, with a particular focus on suicide bereavement and complex loss.
Before training as a counsellor, I worked as a family law solicitor. This earlier career shaped my ability to remain calm under pressure, think clearly in emotionally charged situations, and work thoughtfully with complex human experiences. Over time, my practice has become increasingly specialised in supporting adults navigating life after loss, including sudden and traumatic deaths.
Throughout my counselling career, I have worked with individuals experiencing prolonged grief, anxiety, depression and identity disruption following bereavement. A significant milestone in my work has been developing a specialist focus on suicide loss, supporting clients through the emotional, psychological and practical aftermath of bereavement.
I continue to engage in ongoing professional development to ensure my work remains ethical, reflective and grounded in current best practice. My experience allows me to offer counselling that is both clinically sound and deeply human.
Therapy Approach
My work is rooted in a person-centred approach, offering a warm, respectful and non-judgemental space where you can talk openly and feel truly heard. I tailor therapy to the individual, blending person-centred counselling with elements of CBT and solution-focused work when these are helpful.
This allows us to gently explore emotions, unhelpful thought patterns and practical coping strategies, always at a pace that feels right for you. My focus is on supporting you to understand your experience, feel more grounded, and find ways forward that feel realistic and meaningful.
I use psychoeducation where it is helpful, to support you in understanding your emotional responses rather than feeling overwhelmed by them. Therapy with me is collaborative and paced to suit you. We focus on making sense of your experiences, reducing distress, and building emotional steadiness.
Therapies explained
Integrative or Holistic Therapy
Integrative or Holistic Therapy combines practices and theories from various therapeutic approaches to fit the needs of the individual client.
Psychoeducation
Psychoeducation refers to the process of providing education and information to those seeking or receiving mental health services, such as diagnoses, treatment options, and coping strategies for dealing with mental health.
Humanistic Therapy
Humanistic Therapy emphasizes looking at the whole individual and stresses concepts of free will, self-efficacy, and self-actualization to help people lead more fulfilling lives.
Person-Centered Therapy
Person-Centered Therapy, developed by Carl Rogers, emphasizes a non-directive, empathetic approach that empowers and motivates the client in the therapeutic process.
