Welcome to my website and thank you for your interest in my private practice. My name is Jiao, I am a fully registered Counsellor and psychotherapist of BACP(British Association for Counselling & Psychotherapy). I adhere to the BACP Ethics code and EU GDPR data protection regulation, which ensures you of high standard of confidentiality. 

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Since qualifying in 2005, I have worked as a counsellor in a variety of settings such as secondary school(U.K), charity counselling services for young people(U.K), mental health rehabilitation center(U.S), medical service(Iraq), EAP(employee assistant program) and University counselling centre(China). 

 

I work intensively with the following issues and it is not uncommon that someone can have more than one of them at the same time: 

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• Anxiety: general anxiety, phobia, panic attack, OCD, procrastination, constant restlessness, unable to relax, easily feel guilty, take too much responsibility from others

• Low self-esteem: low self confidence, self doubt, sensitivity to rejection and criticism, perfectionism, lack of assertiveness, impulsive behavior or anger, history of being bullied

• Constantly feeling sad, hopeless, powerless, empty, oppressed, isolated;self-harming

• Trauma--developmental trauma, emotional abuse

• Expat Issue--hard to fit in new environment, severe cultural shock, difficulties with relationship/family due to immigration/oversea study

• Self development -- personal growth, overcoming old habit, career choices, life decision

• Bereavement & loss: death of a loved one, losing job, divorce

• Relationship Issues: affairs and betrayals,drawn to same type of unhealthy relationship repetitively and/or not being able to walk away from it

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My Approach

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As an integrative counsellor, my work is shaped primarily by CBT and humanistic approaches with techniques from mindfulness. In my view, people are complex beings shaped and influenced by numerous internal and external factors: encompassing physiological and biological elements, past experiences, current circumstances, social and cultural contexts as well as their own perception and interpretation of these factors and experience. Yet, they also possess the capacity for self-awareness, self growth and shaping their own development.

 

The humanistic approach acknowledges and honours each person's unique experiences, strengths, potential and aspirations, which align with my belief in the inherent worth and dignity of every individual. By striving to work empathically, genuinely and collaboratively, I can create a non-judgmental space where clients feel heard, understood, validated and valued. It helps foster a deep exploration of their emotions and thoughts and nourish potential change and growth.

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I also believe that individuals hold a natural drive to understand themselves-a narrative to help them make sense of their emotions, body sensations, thoughts and behaviours. CBT is a powerful way to interpret the interplay of these aspects. By identifying and challenging maladaptive thoughts and beliefs, individuals can replace them with more realistic and accurate ones, which help alleviate negative moods and build healthier ways of operating.

 

My training on complex trauma (developmental trauma) equipped me to help clients make sense of their emotional and bodily responses, such as fight, flight, freeze, submit, attachment cry, and hypoarousal and hyerarousal status. This insight also sheds light on how complex emotions like shame and self-loathing developed alongside, allowing clients to reframe their “problematic” automatic responses as survival strategies, promoting a positive relationship with their own overlearned yet fundamentally protective behaviours and reactions.​

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In our session together, you will have a safe environment to express your feelings and thoughts bottled up in your mind without the worry of being judged - we all took different external and internal journeys to the place where we are now, I'm here to support, not to judge.

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My main job is to listen, support and perceive your difficulties in your way and explore all the possibilities with you. Together we will reflect and make sense of what is happening in your life and how to take control of your decisions and actions so you can cope better with whatever you are going through.

 

I have a multicultural background, Chinese origin but have lived in U.S, U.K, Spain in the past ten years for study and work. I take equal opportunities seriously and embrace the principles of diversity. I can offer therapy in both English and Mandarin Chinese(Hopefully one day in Spanish as well).

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Please click the tab of "Procedure" for more information about how I work with client and feel free to contact me for my availability, I will do my best to accommodate your schedule.

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Read more about my articles related to mental health and counselling:

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