My name is Joanne Welland and Maywell Counselling is my private counselling practice based in Farnborough. I offer general counselling services to individuals, young adults and adolescents and I work from a purpose built therapy room in my garden, this is separate from my home to ensure that we have a confidential space.
I am an accredited therapist, and a qualified counselling supervisor. As well as my private practice, I also teach CPCAB counselling qualifications in a local college where I support counselling students through to their qualification. In addition to this I work as a counsellor in a local college, where as well as counselling individual students, where I have written and facilitated group work on subjects such as anxiety, exam stress, self-esteem and procrastination. So, as well as working with adults of all ages; I have a specific wealth of experience with young adult issues.
I understand that looking for a counsellor isn’t easy, especially if things aren’t making sense, and you are feeling vulnerable, worried or unsettled. Maybe things are changing around you and you are struggling to move forward. I believe that the most important part of counselling is the relationship, so it is important to find the right counsellor that fits with you, to encourage you to feel safe, accepted and secure enough to be able to explore how you really feel without fear of judgement.
I work to promote and encourage a collaborative, trusting, warm and genuine relationship so you can begin to look at the issues that may be troubling you. Talking about your problems can help you to explore and understand what is going on for you, and this knowledge can help you to find solutions so that you can begin to make positive changes.
Counselling is a very different experience to chatting things through with a friend, as counsellors are professionally trained to listen in an impartial, supportive and non judgemental way which will feel different to how you have been listened to in the past.
In our first introductory session, we will begin to gently look at what is going on for you, and whether I am the best person to help you. There is no obligation on either side; and I would encourage you to try a few counsellors first before committing as it is important that the relationship feels right. In turn, if I feel that you could receive more suitable help through another counsellor or agency then I can also discuss and help to manage this with you.
I work in an open ended way, which means that we regularly review our work together to consider where we are in the process. We might work together for a handful of sessions or we may work together for years. It very much depends on what your needs are.
I believe that we all have the answers to our questions inside of us, and through counselling we can support, encourage and facilitate to enable you to seek your own unique solutions.
As well as my private practice, I also work as a counsellor in local colleges, where as well as counselling individual students, I also write and facilitate group work on subjects such as anxiety, exam stress, self esteem and procrastination. So as well as working with adults of all ages; I have a specific wealth of experience with young adult issues.
As an integrative counsellor I am trained to integrate four different counselling theories; these are person centred, psychodynamic, existential and CBT, this means that dependent on your personal needs and requirements I can be flexible and adapt around methods that can work for you. I have a particular interest in attachment theory. As well as the traditional two chair approach, I may also work in other ways, such as using shells and stones, music, poetry or art to encourage you to talk about your feelings, although I would check with you first to ensure that you are comfortable working this way.
