Welcome. I’m James – a skilled, compassionate and experienced psychotherapeutic counsellor (BACP registered).
(You can read more about me below).
I offer high quality counselling and psychotherapy online and in person in Exeter. I can work with individuals, couples and small groups.
If you are on this page it is probably because you are experiencing difficulty and are looking for help. Maybe you want to find a way to relieve depression or anxiety, overcome trauma, gain confidence, or grow into your fuller self.
Whatever you are experiencing and whatever changes you are hoping for, I am here to support you in your process of building self-understanding, healing and growing as a person. My approach is both very human and also validated by repeated research findings.
Choosing a therapist can be really difficult. There are so many to choose from, all offering their own vision of therapy. I hope this page will give you a sense of who I am and how I work, and so help you make your choice.
I offer everyone an initial session for free. It’s my way of making sure everyone can try therapy, and it also gives you a chance to get a feel for what I offer and to see whether I am the right therapist for you.
How do I work?
My aim is to support you in your own therapeutic process.
I do this by offering an authentic human relationship where you are safe, accepted, supported and appreciated. Under these conditions we will together explore what you are experiencing with the aim of bringing more of your experience into conscious awareness. In this way we can together bring relief to pain, tension and distress, and you can find ways of moving forward in your life in integrated and empowered ways.
For many people a large part of this work will involve connecting with feelings. Our sessions will also be chance to cry, to rage, to ponder and to laugh. All is welcome in our sessions.
I have studied and understand a number of psychological and psychotherapeutic theories. This understanding underpins my work with clients, and at times theories and ideas might helpfully enter into our conversations. I am also very open to exploring theories and ideas that you find interesting or relevant to you.
However, usually our sessions won’t be led by theory. My role is to hold a safe, non-judgemental space for you, and perhaps offer a few suggestions here or there. In this setting, you can engage in your own psychotherapeutic process, figure out (with a little support) what you need to understand, process stuck emotions and traumas, and find ways forward in your world.
(Theoretically, my approach is broadly ‘person-centred’ which you can read more about here).
If you like the sound of my approach and would like to try it, please feel free to get in touch. I offer an initial exploratory session at no cost so you can get a feel for whether you would like to work with me.
Do I use techniques and exercises?
Some people come keen to learn CBT-style techniques or exercises to reduce their anxiety, tension or distress. I think it’s important for me to be clear at the outset that this is not the kind of therapy I typically offer.
Why not? A few reasons. I have never found techniques and exercises especially helpful myself, and many of the people I have worked with who have previously tried them also report not having found them much use. I would suggest they might offer some temporary relief but they generally don’t get to the root of a person’s difficulty.
My training and CPD has not been CBT focussed, so I also can’t really claim much expertise in teaching CBT-style techniques or exercises.
Having said this, I believe each person’s needs are unique, and so if you would like to work with me and are also interested in particular techniques or exercises then you are welcome to bring them to our sessions and I will be very happy to do my best in supporting you with them.
Meditation and journaling as on-going practices
There are two on-going practices that I can recommend: mindfulness meditation and journaling. I can recommend these these because I have experience of their effectiveness and their wide applicability across people and situations. Both practices support the enhancing of a person’s self-understanding and so gel well with the therapy I offer. Please ask me if you would like support with either of these practices.
How and where does therapy takes place?
I work online and in person in Exeter. Online sessions take place on Zoom. In person sessions take place in my therapy room in the Polsloe/Heavitree area of Exeter. I can also offer walking therapy nearby.
Sessions are normally 60 minutes long, with evening sessions lasting 50 minutes. I am open to discussion if you feel a different amount of time would suit you better. Most clients have sessions weekly or fortnightly, but this can also be flexible.
Payment
I charge £80 per session. Daytime sessions are 60 minutes and evening sessions (5.30pm and later) are 50 minutes.
Please click here if you would like more information on payment, including what your payment covers.
I have a 48 hour cancellation policy. If you would like to read more about my cancellation policy before contacting me then please click here.
Low cost sessions?
I am aware that private fees can make therapy unaffordable for many people. I value working towards a more equal society and I feel uncomfortable about excluding people based on their ability to pay. As such, I work to offer a few slots each week at a lower cost. You are welcome to inquire if you are seeking a low cost option.
As you can probably appreciate, these lower cost sessions are often full. If this is the case I will try and put you in touch with a therapist or organisation which might be able to provide you with a good quality lower cost service.
I also offer a discounted rate for student counsellors and therapists, as a way to support an increase in the availability of therapy in general. Please feel free to be in touch if this applies to you.
More about me
I am a father of two in my late 30s living in Exeter. We previously lived in London, and I love the city, but my partner and I have chosen to be in Exeter as we find it a great place for our young family. We enjoy days at the beach and on Dartmoor. I have also recently completed a Post Graduate Certificate in Psychedelic Assisted Psychotherapy at Exeter University.
In my own time I enjoy walks on the Moor, socialising and studying. I practice mindfulness and have an interest in Buddhist, Hindu and Taoist thought, as well as Western philosophy, psychology and Christian spirituality. These philosophies inform my work as a therapist.
In terms of qualifications and professional background, I studied Philosophy, Politics and Economics at Durham, and then went on to do an MA in Philosophy at Bristol. (My focus was on the philosophy of ethics). I later trained to become a teacher, and spent 9 years teaching economics in inner-London schools where I gained as much education as I gave from some very inspirational young people – it was tough but I gained a huge amount from my experience as a teacher.
During this time, I began my own therapeutic journey, and was lucky enough to find myself working with Charles Olivier, to whom I owe a debt of gratitude for helping me become much more conscious of the choices I was making. I still model much of my practice on the way Charles worked with me. I became very interested in psychology, initially doing a Graduate Certificate in Psychology at UCL, before doing several counselling courses which eventually led me to applying to study the person-centred approach at the Metanoia Institute in West London. I spent 3 intensive years training at Metanoia, and came out a different person to when I went in. I gained a degree level Diploma in Psychotherapeutic Counselling which is the basis upon which I work.
I continue to study psychology, philosophy, and psychotherapy, both for my own interest and to develop my presence as a therapist with clients. I am currently working on my MSc in person-centred psychotherapy.
Areas of therapeutic work
There is a sense in which trying to separate one area of therapeutic work from another is a little artificial. On the other hand, I appreciate that if you are suffering in a particular way it might be helpful to know whether or not a therapist can help with that particular experience. I can support you with the following experiences (and others that are not listed here):
- anxiety
- depression
- personal development
- self-harm
- suicidality
- trauma and PTSD
- anger
- stress
- relationship difficulty, including work with pairs and small groups
- experience of addiction
- bereavement and grief
- exploration of sexuality and coming out
- exploration of gender identity
- polyamory, non-monogamy and open relating
- loneliness
- feelings of being lost or uncertain
- loss of meaning
- self-awareness and self-development
- death and mortality
- spirituality
- psychedelic integration
Contacting James
If you would like to book a (free) trial session, or just ask for me information, please follow the link below.