Together, we'll find your way forward
Person Centred Counselling for Adults and Young People in Southsea and Online
Counselling and therapy for individuals in a safe and confidential setting
Welcome, and thank you for visiting Jo Sandy Counselling
Reaching out for counselling can take a great deal of courage. In my private practice i offer a safe, non judgemental space where you can truly be yourself. I work from a Person-Centred approach, which means I believe you already have within you the capacity for growth and healing. My role is to listen with empathy and understanding and to help you explore your thoughts and feelings at your own pace.
Person Centred Counselling in Southsea
My name is Jo and I am a qualified Person Centred Counsellor, having completed my training in 2011, providing both short- and long-term counselling to adult and young people in Southsea and online. I work in a supportive and non-judgemental space where you can explore whatever is troubling you at your own pace.
Life can be really tough at times and sometimes we just need to feel heard and understand why we feel the way we do. I believe in the power of the therapeutic relationship and the importance of feeling heard and understood. If you're struggling or simply need someone to talk to I'm here to listen and support you.
I am a Registered Member of BACP, which means I have met their criteria for qualified and experienced therapists and work in accordance with their ethical framework.
Experience, Training and Qualifications
- Professional Level 5 Diploma in Person Centred counselling
- Person-Centred Approaches to Counselling
- Counselling skills, Development & Practice
- Comparative Theories & Approaches
- Continuing Personal Development in Counselling
- Exploring the Human Development Process
- Client work in Therapeutic counselling
- Counselling for Loss & Grief
- Counselling Clients who have experienced Abuse
- Level 3 – Counselling skills & Theory
- Level 2 – Counselling skills
- Level 1 – Interpersonal skills
- Anxiety Management Group Work Training
- Managing Anxiety & Self Harm
- Working with Self harm
- Gestalt – one day training
Counselling for Adults and Young People
Now in Private Practice in the heart of Southsea, I work with adults and young people offering counselling tailored to each individuals needs.
My background includes 20 years of experience working with young people, supporting them through challenges such as anxiety, bereavement, low self-esteem and difficulties with managing emotions.
I focus on helping individuals develop the tools they need to navigate life more confidently and with greater emotional resilience.
Counselling for Anxiety and Emotional Difficulties
During my training, I worked with survivors of sexual abuse, young people at Off the Record from the age of 11-25 years old specialising in anxiety, working through it and being given the tools to manage anxiety with a positive outcome.
I also worked with older people through SAGE counselling, senior age counselling, 65 years and older.
How can counselling help you?
During our sessions you'll be supported to make sense of what's happening in your life, to find clarity and to reconnect with your inner strengths. Over time, counselling can help you feel more confident, grounded and in more in tune of who you really are.
Whether you're dealing with a specific issue or simply want to understand yourself better together we can explore your experiences and find a way forward that feels right for you. Here are a few of the more common difficulties that can be supported through counselling:
Feelings of stress or anxiety
Panic attacks
Relationship problems
Grief, loss or bereavement
Problems with addiction
Trauma and post-traumatic stress
Depression
Problems with confidence or self-esteem
Anger management
Issues relating to sexuality
Difficulties at work or in retirement
Problems with family or school life
Availability
Counselling sessions for individuals last 50 minutes and usually take place on a weekly basis. I offer both in-person and online counselling sessions, as well as home visits where appropriate.
I also offer a discount to all students.
Please contact me to enquire about current availability.
Fees
Individual counselling sessions
£50 per session
Online counselling sessions
£50 per session
Home visits
£55 per session
All sessions must be cancelled at least 48 hours in advance. Cancellations made with less notice will be charged at the full session fee.
My Location
I offer private counselling in Southsea in a safe, confidential and supportive setting. I also work with clients from the surrounding areas, with online counselling available for those who prefer or need flexibility.
Whether you attend sessions in Southsea or online, I offer person-centred counselling tailored to your individual needs, providing space to feel heard, understood and supported.
Get in touch
Feel free to contact me if you have any questions about how counselling works, or to arrange an initial assessment appointment. This enables us to discuss the reasons you are thinking of coming to counselling, whether it could be helpful for you and whether I am the right therapist to help.
You can also call me on +44 07952262924 if you would prefer to leave a message or speak to me first. I am happy to discuss any queries or questions you may have prior to arranging an initial appointment.
All enquires are usually answered within 24 hours, and all contact is strictly confidential and uses secure phone and email services.
Some frequently asked questions
Counselling is usually a good way to help with a current problem; something that can be discussed and - hopefully - resolved within a limited number of sessions. Over a certain number of weeks the understanding of the problem improves and away forward becomes clear. Therapy often describes work that goes a bit deeper, towards more substantial life issues and problems having a deeper effect on the client’s life. Therapy often requires a long-term approach, so the number of sessions can be open-ended.
Which option is most suitable depends on the client and the difficulties they are facing. In some cases counselling works well as an ongoing, longer-term option - or therapy can manage to resolve an issue in just a few sessions.
Everything that is said within the counselling room is private - this is one of the main ways counselling and therapy differ from talking to a friend or relative. Once you are comfortable with the format of weekly sessions and the safe space they provide, you will find the freedom to speak in confidence is of great value.
Note that there are some situations where you may be a risk to yourself or others, and there the law requires that I notify an authority; in these cases I may not be able to keep total confidentiality. Breaking confidentiality is very rare though, and only happens after the person concerned has been informed.
Usually I am asked this question by people who are nervous about entering into counselling, or when they are looking for support in coming to see a therapist. This anxiety is understandable, but a key aspect of therapy is that you should feel free to talk about any issues you feel are important to you. Having someone else with you who can be connected those issues makes this opening-up more difficult, so for this reason I do not see clients accompanied by friends or family.
How long a period of counselling lasts will vary from person to person and depend on the depth of the issues they are facing. For some people a couple of sessions helps to bring their problems into focus, and they feel ready to move forward; other problems may require more of an open-ended approach.
Before we begin any work we will agree on the number of sessions we’ll undertake, and at the end of that number review our progress. As long as we both agree further therapy will be of benefit to you, sessions can continue.
My aim is to offer a first appointment - known as an initial assessment - within 1-2 weeks. Then we would arrange a set number of counselling sessions to take place at the same time every week, that is convenient for you and where I have availabity. How quickly these sessions can begin will depend on the availabity of that free ‘slot’.