Fresh Minds Therapy
Counselling to help you come home to yourself
You might look completely fine from the outside. Capable. Reliable. The person everyone else leans on. But underneath that, something feels off, a creeping exhaustion, a disconnection from yourself, a sense that the way you’ve been managing things simply isn’t working anymore.
If you’re navigating anxiety, burnout, the identity shifts of perimenopause, or the weight of patterns you can’t quite shake, this is a space built for exactly that.
I’m Jo. I offer trauma-informed, neuro-affirming counselling for women, in person in Banbury and online across the UK.
Feel heard. Feel safe. Find you again.
Therapy and Counselling Sessions in Banbury, Oxfordshire
You don’t have to be in crisis to deserve support. You don’t have to be able to name exactly what’s wrong.
A lot of the women I work with come in saying “I’m not sure I even know what I need.” That’s not a problem. That’s exactly where we start.
You might be in the right place if…
Many of the women I work with share a particular kind of experience. They’re high-functioning in most areas of life, but they’re carrying more than people realise. They might be navigating one or more of the following:
- Anxiety that looks like competence from the outside, but constant overthinking, people-pleasing, and difficulty resting
- Burnout that crept up slowly, you kept going until you couldn’t
- Perimenopause and the identity shifts that come with it, mood changes, a sense of not quite recognising yourself
- Neurodivergence: whether newly diagnosed, long suspected, or simply a sense that your brain works differently
- Patterns in relationships or self-worth that keep showing up, no matter how much you understand them
- Trauma or difficult experiences that still echo in everyday life
If any of this sounds familiar, you’re not broken. You’re likely someone who has been managing a great deal, for a long time, without enough support.
My Approach
Therapy with me is collaborative and unhurried. We don’t move faster than feels safe. There’s no agenda, no homework unless it’s useful, and no pressure to have answers.
In sessions, we pay attention to what’s happening beneath the surface: the patterns, the stories you carry about yourself, the places where your nervous system still holds old experiences. Not to dwell in the past, but to understand how it shapes the present.
I draw on a range of approaches, including person-centred therapy, attachment theory, trauma-informed practice, and somatic awareness, but I follow your lead rather than a fixed method. What matters is what helps you.
As a neuro-affirming therapist, I welcome all ways of thinking, feeling and being. Whether you identify as neurodivergent, are exploring that possibility, or simply feel like your brain works differently, you’ll be met with curiosity, not judgement.
You can work with me in person in Banbury or online across the UK, whichever feels most comfortable for you.
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My Approach
How I work
Past
Sometimes our past stories still echo in the present. Together, we explore where certain patterns or beliefs began.
Not to stay there, but to understand how they’ve shaped how you see yourself today.
Present
We gently bring awareness to what’s happening now; your emotions, relationships, and inner world.
So you can begin to respond with curiosity instead of self-criticism.
Future
With new insight and steadier ground, we focus on creating small, meaningful shifts that align with the life you want to move toward.
One that feels more like home in your own skin.
Types of Counselling Support I Offer
At Fresh Minds Therapy, I offer one-to-one sessions that meet you where you are; blending gentle curiosity, compassion, and evidence-based understanding.
Here’s how our work might take shape:
- Individual Counselling: A space that’s fully yours. To slow down, reflect, and begin understanding what you need. Sessions are shaped around you, at your pace.
- Trauma-Informed Counselling: Grounded in safety and understanding, this approach supports you in making sense of past or ongoing experiences without overwhelm or re-traumatisation.
- Stress and Anxiety Management: Together, we explore what’s underneath the stress and develop tools that help you regulate, soften self-criticism, and feel more in control.
- Cultural and Intergenerational Issues: A space to explore identity, belonging, and family stories, especially when cultural expectations or inherited patterns feel heavy to carry.
- Neurodivergence: Celebrating and supporting all ways of being, we can explore sensory experiences, burnout, masking, and self-acceptance through a neuro-affirming lens.
- Menopause and Hormonal Changes: Whether you’re navigating perimenopause, menopause, or hormonal changes, we’ll work together to understand the emotional impact and reconnect with your sense of self.
Who is counselling for?
Counselling is for anyone who’s finding life a bit too heavy right now, whether you’re navigating change, feeling disconnected, or just need space to breathe.
It can help with:
- Stress and Anxiety: Learn tools to manage overwhelming thoughts and feelings.
- Low Mood or Depression: When everything feels flat or foggy, counselling offers a safe place to explore what’s underneath and begin reconnecting with hope.
- Relationships: Whether with partners, friends, or family; we can look at boundaries, communication, and emotional safety.
- Self-Esteem and Confidence: Rebuilding a sense of worth, belonging, and trust in yourself, especially if you’ve spent years caring for others before yourself.
- Trauma and Loss: Processing experiences that still echo in your life, at a pace that feels safe and contained.
- Life Transitions: Supporting you through shifts like perimenopause, parenting, career changes, or identity transitions.
- Neurodivergence: A space that honours your sensory, emotional, and cognitive needs, whether you’re diagnosed, questioning, or simply seeking to understand yourself better.
- Menopause and Hormonal Changes: Understanding how shifting hormones can impact mood, memory, and self-identity. Helping you feel more grounded and at home in your changing body.
Read some latest posts on my Blog
What Is Trauma-Informed Counselling?
Why Boundaries Matter: Protecting Your Wellbeing
How Do I Know If Counselling Is Right for Me?
Common Questions
Do I need to know what's wrong to start therapy?
No. Many people start therapy without being able to name exactly what’s wrong. You might just have a sense that something isn’t right, or that you’ve been running on empty for longer than feels sustainable. That’s enough to begin. We figure it out together.
What happens in the first session?
The first session is a chance for us to meet, for you to share a little about what’s brought you here, and to get a sense of how I work. There’s no pressure to share everything at once. By the end, we’ll talk about whether continuing feels right, no commitment required.
How long does therapy take?
It varies depending on what you’re bringing and what you need. Some people find 8-12 sessions helpful for a specific issue. Others prefer longer-term work to explore deeper patterns. We review this together as we go; there’s no fixed commitment.
Do you work with neurodivergent clients?
Yes. I’m a neuro-affirming therapist, and I work with women who are neurodivergent, whether diagnosed with ADHD or autism, currently exploring that possibility, or simply aware that their brain works differently. Therapy is tailored to your pace, sensory needs, and processing style. Also, Neurodivergent does not just mean you are Autistic or ADHD, I work with all types of neurodivergence.
Do you offer online therapy?
Yes. Online sessions are available via secure video call to anyone in the UK. Many clients find online therapy just as effective and more accessible than in-person therapy, given work, family, or sensory needs. Sessions are exactly the same as in person, just from the comfort of your own space.
Are you based in Banbury?
Yes. My therapy room is in Banbury, Oxfordshire (OX16). I work with clients locally in Banbury and the surrounding area, including Brackley, Bicester, Chipping Norton, Daventry and Leamington Spa, as well as online across the UK.
Testimonials
What My Clients Say
“I started a journey through counselling. Through the compassionate and caring listening, guidance, and skill of Jo, I can look back at the really hard times, and they are much sweeter because of the care and support I have received. I am discovering a new me and am beginning to see possibilities and a wider life that would have made me feel anxious and overwhelmed before. Thank you feels so inadequate to express my gratitude and appreciation”
