James Neville

I currently only have availability on Fridays between 9am and 5pm.

My core training in counselling is in the person-centred approach, which basically means that my philosophy is that when we feel heard and valued by someone we have a genuine and honest connection with, we can grow and heal. 

That being said, I've done plenty of other training since qualifying, so I would refer to myself as working in an integrative way - I have a variety of different approaches and philosophies to hand. I believe this helps me to be more person-centred; to work to understand who you are as an individual and what's going to be effective and helpful for you.

I am also currently an IMAGO relationship therapist in training, which means I can safely work with partners to support healing and growth in their relationship.

I see counselling as a sort of partnership - I love to walk alongside individuals, empowering them to trust themselves more, live with integrity, and align themselves with their purpose.

My philosophy is this - every human being has the potential for growth and healing, no matter what. The strategies for living that we have come up with were at some point our best bet, even if they are now self-limiting. But with the space, commitment and compassion to accept who we truly are, life can begin to look and feel more hopeful, meaningful and understandable. 

You may be looking to give some space to talk about a significant life event or change, and the way it is affecting you. Or you may have noticed a pattern in your behaviour or experience that you're trying to make sense of. There's no right or wrong way to come to counselling, but giving yourself some space to talk and be heard with someone who isn't connected to the rest of your life can be a relief. If that feels like something you need, then counselling might be right for you.

As for me - I've had 8+ years of therapy myself as a client and it's been a transformational journey, so I truly believe in the power of counselling and the good it can do. I also know how hard and weird it can feel at times. 

I also bring my lived experience as a trans person and a neurodivergent person to the table in my practice. I love working with other trans, non-binary and neurodivergent people to support them to heal their wounds, help them feel understood and connect with the gifts that our unique life experiences can offer. So if that's you and you're on a long-term journey of healing, I'd be delighted to work with you.

During our first session we will meet either in person, over the telephone or online for a fairly informal chat about what you are hoping for from counselling. This will be an opportunity to tell you a bit about what to expect, hear from you about what you'd like to explore and figure out if we feel happy working together. We'll also go through some of the boundaries and limitations of counselling to make sure we're both on the same page. At the end of this time we'll agree how we'd each like to move forward.