Jo Read , BACP

Jo Read is a counsellor and qualified social worker who combines professional training with extensive practical experience to support young people and adults. She earned a Level 4 Diploma in Therapeutic Counselling, an advanced vocational qualification accredited by the Counselling and Psychotherapy Awarding Body (CPCAB) through Sweet Track Counselling in Glastonbury, and completed her placement hours with the Sweet Track Agency. Jo also holds a Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS) enhanced certificate for work with young people under 16 and maintains relevant professional insurance. As a registered member of the British Association of Counsellors and Psychotherapists (BACP), she works within the association's ethical framework and professional standards.

Jo’s background spans youth and community work, education, mental health and social care, giving her broad insight into the pressures clients face. She draws primarily on a person-centred approach, using unconditional positive regard, empathy and congruence to build a respectful therapeutic relationship. She uses open questions and active listening skills such as reflection, summarising and immediacy to help clients explore their thoughts and feelings and to identify their own priorities for change.

Supervision is an ongoing part of Jo’s practice and she engages in personal counselling to support her development. Initial sessions focus on mutual fit and a counselling contract or initial assessment is completed to clarify goals and boundaries. Jo aims to offer counselling of genuine value to people in distress, working holistically through talking therapy and other tools agreed during sessions.

Person-centred and emotion-focused approaches for online support

Jo uses client-centred therapy to place the client’s perspective at the centre of the work, creating a respectful, non-directive space where individuals can explore their feelings and priorities. This approach often helps with issues like low self-esteem, relationship concerns and life transitions by encouraging self-discovery and personal agency.

She also draws on Emotionally-Focused Therapy (EFT) to help people understand and reprocess strong emotions, which can be particularly useful for relationship distress, trauma-related feelings and intense anxiety. EFT focuses on identifying core emotional patterns and developing new, more adaptive emotional responses.

Finding the right approach is part of the therapeutic process and Jo collaborates with each person to identify methods that fit their needs, goals and preferences. Together they review progress and adjust the approach as therapy unfolds.

Online therapy with Jo is offered through video calls, phone sessions, live chat and text-based messaging to provide flexible access for different lifestyles and schedules. These options make it easier to fit therapy into daily life and allow consistent support for people who may be balancing work, caregiving or geographical constraints, while working with licensed professionals and therapists to address emotional and psychological concerns.