Joanna Summers

MSc Counselling & Psychotherapy · MBACP

Most people who find their way to counselling are looking for something that will actually help. Counselling is not a fix. It does not take away what has happened or make difficult things straightforward. What it can do is change the relationship a person has with what they are carrying. That is quieter than a cure. And for most people, it is more useful.

Based in Shropshire — working online with adults in Telford, Shrewsbury and across the UK.

My approach

People come to counselling for many reasons and from many different places. Some have tried to access support through the NHS and found the waiting times long, the sessions limited or the structure unable to flex when something new arose. Others are coming to counselling for the first time and are not sure what to expect. Both are entirely ordinary starting points.

Much of what people bring to counselling was not created by them, and much of that belongs to the world around a person, not to the person themselves. It accumulates. It shapes. And it can become so familiar that it feels like the truth of who we are.

My approach starts there. With what is actually being carried, and what it has cost. When trauma, anxiety and depression are met with both compassion and clinical understanding, what felt certain begins to change.

What counselling can help with

Anxiety and overwhelm. Relationship difficulties. Loss and grief. Life in transition. Identity and self-understanding. Trauma. Low mood. Feeling stuck. Not knowing what is wrong, only that something is.

Who I work with

Adults aged 18 and over, from a wide range of backgrounds and life situations. Because sessions are online, I work with people in Shropshire and Telford and right across the UK. I am committed to anti-oppressive, inclusive practice, and to meeting each person as they are, not as a category.

My style

Warm, direct, genuinely curious. I am not a blank screen. I bring my whole self into the room. You will know you are talking to a person who has also lived a life, not a technique being performed.

What I am not

A crisis service, a diagnostic service or a replacement for the support of people who love you. If you are in immediate danger, please contact your GP, call 999, or the Samaritans on 116 123. If you would prefer not to speak on the phone, you can text SHOUT to 85258, a free and confidential 24/7 text service.

Areas of experience

Anxiety, low mood, trauma, neurodiversity and more

The following reflects my clinical experience and training. If something you are carrying is not listed here, it is still worth getting in touch.

Identity & diversity

LGBTQ+ identities and experiences Gender identity and expression Sexual orientation Intersectionality Cultural identity Belonging and otherness Trans and non-binary experiences

My practice is LGBTQ+ affirming, and I have direct clinical experience working with trans and non-binary young adults. I am not trans myself, and I do not claim lived experience, but I bring genuine knowledge, care and a fully affirmative stance to this work. You will not need to explain or justify who you are.

Neurodiversity

ADHD Autism spectrum Dyslexia and dyspraxia Late diagnosis and identity Masking and burnout Sensory processing differences Executive function difficulties

I bring both clinical experience and my own lived experience of neurodivergence to this work, including late diagnosis, and what that asks of a person. My approach is affirming, not corrective. I work with you as you are, adapting the pace, style and structure of our sessions to suit how you think and process. Not the other way around.

Trauma & abuse

Domestic abuse and coercive control Childhood trauma and neglect Complex trauma (C-PTSD) Emotional abuse Sexual abuse and assault
6 more
Attachment difficulties Trauma responses Spiritual abuse Child sexual exploitation (CSE) Child sexual abuse (CSA) Adult survivors of childhood sexual abuse

I have clinical experience working with survivors of domestic abuse, complex trauma, spiritual abuse and adult survivors of child sexual exploitation and abuse. I can hold the difference between a person's faith or spiritual life and the harm that was enacted through it, without pathologising belief or dismissing the damage that was done. I work at a pace that feels safe for you. Nothing is pushed, nothing is rushed.

Mental health & emotional wellbeing

Anxiety and panic Depression and low mood Low self-esteem and self-worth Stress and overwhelm Self-harm
5 more
Suicidal thoughts Shame and guilt Perfectionism Addiction and substance use Recovery and relapse

If you are experiencing thoughts of suicide or self-harm, these are things I can sit with you in. I will always be honest with you about what I can offer and will help you access additional support where needed.

Relationships & life

Relationship difficulties Family estrangement Bereavement and loss Grief and complicated grief Life transitions and change
4 more
Work and career Loneliness and isolation Feeling lost or stuck Meaning and purpose

Sometimes what brings someone to counselling does not have a clinical name. Feeling stuck, lost or like life does not quite fit are reasons to seek support.

What to expect

From first contact to ongoing work

Starting counselling asks something of you. Here is what to expect.

  • Send a message. A few words are enough. You do not need to explain yourself fully at this stage
  • I will reply within 48 hours to arrange a short initial conversation at no charge
  • That conversation is not an assessment. It is a chance for both of us to ask questions and sense whether this feels right
  • If we both feel the fit is right, we arrange a first session
  • Sessions are 50 minutes, held online via Zoom or Microsoft Teams, at a regular weekly or fortnightly time that suits you
  • There is no fixed number of sessions. The work continues for as long as it is needed
  • Either of us can end the work at any time, with appropriate notice
Training & credentials

My qualifications and professional standing

Qualification

MSc Counselling & Psychotherapy, Keele University. BACP-accredited programme.

Membership

MBACP. All practice conducted within the BACP Ethical Framework.

Supervision

I receive regular clinical supervision from a qualified supervisor, in line with BACP requirements. All client work is supervised.

Insurance

Professional indemnity and public liability insurance held. Details available on request.

DBS

Enhanced DBS check held and current.

CPD

Committed to ongoing continuing professional development in line with BACP membership requirements.

A note on ethical practice: I work in full accordance with the BACP Ethical Framework. In practice, this means I will be honest with you about what I can offer, about the limits of my competence and about the boundaries of our work together. Your confidentiality is protected. The only exceptions are where I have serious concerns about safety, and even then I will seek to discuss this with you first wherever that is possible.
Practical information

Sessions, fees and availability

Session length

50 minutes

Format

Online via Zoom or Microsoft Teams · UK-wide

Frequency

Weekly or fortnightly · By agreement

Fee

£50 per 50-minute session. Payable by bank transfer prior to each session.

Reduced rates

A small number of concessionary places are available for those experiencing financial hardship, including students. Please mention this when you get in touch. No further explanation is needed.

Availability

Daytime and some evenings · Contact to check current spaces

Send a message

If you have a question, or you would simply like to talk, leave a few lines below and I will be in touch within 48 hours.

Your message is confidential and will be read only by me. Your information is held in line with GDPR and will not be shared with anyone else.