Jeannette Roddy
Ph.D., Accredited Counsellor/Psychotherapist
Registered Member MBACP (Accred.)
Welcome! My name is Jeannette Roddy. I qualified as a counsellor/psychotherapist in 2009. Since then I have seen many clients bringing many different and often complex issues, which we have worked through together to helpful and meaningful conclusions. Working at my clinic in Great Ayton, North Yorkshire, I can offer in-person counselling for those within travelling distance, or online counselling for those living further away via telephone or video link.
As you might expect from a counsellor, I am empathic and supportive, which is very much part of the job description! What I bring in addition is a calm presence, a sense of humour, encouragement to you to bring whatever it is you need to bring, and gentle challenge when it seems appropriate. As we talk about what is troubling you, I will offer comments, insight, sometimes theory if that might seem to be helpful, to help us to understand together what might be going for you and how it has affected you, enabling you to make any changes you want to your life.
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Over the years I have worked with people who have experienced depression, anxiety, employment issues, bereavement and losses of many kinds, as well as with people who have been abused, either as adults or children. The work we do together can be short (<6 sessions) or medium term (12 sessions) depending on the complexity of the issue and your situation. For those who have experienced abuse, either as an adult or a child, it is more likely to be medium - longer terms work (12+ sessions) which can take place weekly or fortnightly. Whilst this may seem a long time, it is worth remembering that the effects of abuse can be quite deep seated which requires a more intensive course of therapy. Counselling can be life changing for people for people who are still living with the impact of events which happened years ago. A recent client, who had struggled for a number of years to find a therapist to work with, wrote a review after our work together and suggested I post it on my website. These are their words:
"Today, I signed off private psychotherapy...... The upshot? Me spending more days exceptionally
happy than in abject misery, no longer suicidal, no longer hyperreactive to things I can't control,
no longer influenced by others moods or actions. I'm excited for my future self.”
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If you feel that something needs to change in your life but you are not sure what, why or how, you may find counselling with me very helpful.
Specialism
Employment issues, childhood abuse, domestic abuse, domestic violence, bullying, complex posttraumatic stress, loss, bereavement, depression and anxiety.
My background
Prior to training as a counsellor, I qualified as a corporate coach, working with people in business to improve their working lives, sometimes relationships with colleagues, sometimes helping to clarify what they wanted to do next, and sometimes to help them work through unhelpful work cultures which had become problematic for most staff. If you are having problems at work, it may be that I can help you look at options for the workplace.
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After qualifying as a counsellor, I went on to do a PhD in Counselling, investigating what clients who experienced domestic abuse really wanted from their counsellors. This work eventually become a competency framework for working with clients who have experienced domestic abuse as well as a counsellor training programme. I set up a domestic abuse counselling service at the University of Salford, where I was a lecturer and taught counselling skills on the MSc counsellor training programme. The service has done very well and grew to seeing over 60 clients per week before I left to return home to the North East of England.
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These two areas are closely linked by the experiences of abusive behaviours and relational difficulties. These sorts of issues often result in depression, anxiety, stress, trauma, shame, guilt and losses of many different kinds. These are transferable skills which can be used with anyone experiencing these emotions.