Loneliness is affecting more and more of us in the UK .

Our connection to other people and our community is fundamental to protecting our mental health and we need to find better ways of tackling the epidemic of loneliness. We can all play a part in this.

Reducing loneliness is a major step towards a mentally healthy society

We all feel lonely from time to time. Feelings of loneliness are personal, so everyone’s experience of loneliness will be different.

One common description of loneliness is the feeling we get when our need for rewarding social contact and relationships is not met. But loneliness is not always the same as being alone.

You may choose to be alone and live happily without much contact with other people, while others may find this a lonely experience.

Or you may have lots of social contact, or be in a relationship or part of a family, and still feel lonely – especially if you don’t feel understood or cared for by the people around you.

Mind has a range of tools and strategies which you may find helpful.

Counselling can help you cope with a wide range of difficulties that you might be experiencing; a mental health condition, such as depression, anxiety or an eating disorder. It may be that you are suffering from an upsetting physical health condition, such as infertility. You might have come up against a difficult life event, such as a bereavement, a relationship breakdown or work-related stress.

Counselling is a talking therapy that involves a trained therapist listening to you and helping you find ways to deal with emotional issues. Sometimes the term “counselling” is used to refer to talking therapies in general, but counselling is also a type of therapy in its own right.

At your appointment, you’ll be encouraged to talk about your feelings and emotions with me. I will listen and support you without judging or criticising. I can help you gain a better understanding of your feelings and thought processes, and find your own solutions to problems. I will not usually give advice or tell you what to do.

There are many benefits of having  counselling:

• You’ll learn more about yourself. Therapists listen to your story and help you make connections and links. They might offer guidance or recommendations if you feel lost, but they don’t tell you what to do. Therapy can empower you to take action on your own.
• Therapy can help you achieve your goals. If you aren’t sure of what your goals are, therapy can help you clarify them and set realistic steps to meet them.
• Therapy can help you have more fulfilling relationships. Whether you’re single or in a relationship, therapy can help you address difficulties with relating to others, such as insecurity in relationships or difficulty trusting your partners.
• You’re more likely to have better health. Research supports a link between mind and body wellness. Untreated mental health issues can impact physical wellness. On the other hand, people in good emotional health may be more able to deal with physical health issues that arise.
• Therapy can lead to improvement in all areas of life. If you feel like something is holding you back from living life as you envision it, therapy can help you address this. When you aren’t sure what’s keeping you from making change, therapy can help you discover the answer.
• You feel that you need to be listened to. Sometimes we find ourselves in situations where we are struggling with problems we can’t talk to others about

Are you still asking yourself, ‘do I need counselling?’

If you are not feeling at peace with your life, if you are experiencing stress and anxiety that is overwhelming, or you just sense that having someone to talk to could affect real change in your life, then now is the right time to get in contact with me.

I look forward to hearing from you.

Stress is something we will all experience in our lives. At the moment in particular, as pupils return to school, and restrictions are starting to lift, we are all acutely aware of its impact on our lives.

However, there are a number of reasons why we may feel under pressure at different times. This pressure can sometimes be helpful, keeping us focused and helping us complete tasks.

However, stress becomes a problem when we are unable to cope with these pressures and become overwhelmed and at times physical, emotional and behavioural symptoms develop.

If your child is anxious about school, or they are unable to go to school, Young Minds have excellent advice on supporting them and working with the school and other services.

If your child is being affected by bullying, please have a look at the information and advice for parents  on the Young Minds website.

Young people can feel anxious about school for lots of different reasons. They might be worried about making friends or fitting in, find schoolwork or lessons confusing, feel pressured to learn in a certain way or find their relationships with teachers difficult.

Sometimes, going through difficult experiences outside of school – such as bereavement, an illness in the family or being a young carer – can also make it harder for a child to feel settled at school

Counselling is a chance to have a conversation with a professional who will be totally focussed on you, addressing all the problems and difficulties you are struggling with.

Where do you work from?

I have  counselling rooms just outside Reading in Shinfield and in Emmer Green.

I can work online via Zoom and over the phone.

How many sessions will I need?

 I work with people on an open-ended basis or for an agreed time period, usually meeting once a week for an hour, with the aim of enabling you to enhance your life and to live it more fully.

It’s completely up to you how long you stay, and what you choose to talk about. Some people just want a handful of sessions to help them make an important decision, while others want, or feel they need, to stay much longer.

Counselling is a way of looking after yourself, showing yourself compassion, and developing self awareness; you don’t have to do it all alone.

Beginning your counselling journey can be a daunting prospect so I hope the information I have provided is helpful to you.

What are your opening times?

I offer weekday appointments and Saturday mornings.

How much will it cost?

After the initial free 30 minute consultation either zoom, phone or face to face, subsequent sessions will be charged at £45 per hour. Children’s sessions will be charged at £40. Zoom sessions are also £40.

• If you book and pay in advance for 5 sessions you get the 6th session free.

It is difficult to estimate the number of sessions that may be needed and we can discuss this as we progress however I am committed to ensuring that we achieve as much as possible in a timescale to suit your needs.  You are, of course, free to terminate your counselling sessions at any time.

I offer online and telephone appointments, and even though we’re not in the same room, I can still help you to explore how you’re feeling, understand what you are going through and support you to make changes in your life if you need to.

You may find that online or telephone counselling appointments are easier for you to access or fit with your lifestyle or working hours better than face to face.

I also offer face-to-face sessions at my Retreat in Emmer Green or at The Garden Room in Shinfield.

Hello, my name is Jo Cooke and I am a  Counsellor who is qualified to work with adults, young people and children. I am registered with BACP.

I am a mother of two adult children and have worked in education for over 30 years, having now recently retired.  It is these experiences that have led me to decide to qualify as a counsellor several years ago.  

Several years ago, I felt that I had lost touch with myself and needed some support and guidance to find my way again. I found a counsellor on the BACP register and successfully worked with her. I came to look forward to my weekly sessions, to have someone to listen to me for 50 minutes,  who never judged, questioned or disbelieved me. There were never any consequences of what I shared with her. She was consistently warm, empathetic and full of compassion for my situation.

I have much to thank her for.