Joanne Poole
Contact
Availability: Mondays, Wednesdays, Thursdays, Fridays & Saturdays.
Please contact for current availability
(She/her)
Humanistic Counsellor
Services offered:
I work one-to-one using talking therapies to assist you in navigating emotional difficulties
Lived experience:
ADHD, fibromyalgia
Expertise:
I offer clients empathy, acceptance, openness, and honesty. I work in a very client-centered manner, but I will suggest ways of working if I feel these will help individual clients. It is important to me that my clients feel heard and understood. My hope for my clients is that they learn more about themselves through our work together, recognising and embracing their individuality and self-worth.
I have ADHD and Fibromyalgia. I am confident working with clients presenting with a variety of concerns; including, but not limited to: ADHD, Autism, Anxiety, Addictions, Domestic Abuse, Trauma, Sexual Abuse, Bereavement
Location:
York and surrounding areas, or online via Doxy/Zoom
Next availability:
I currently have limited availability, please enquire for details
About Me:
I am 53 years old, married, and have an adult son (who also has ADHD). I am a real person with real-life experiences - some brilliant and exciting, some quite dark and difficult. I started studying to become a counsellor in 2014 with the Open University, whilst working as a police detective. I left the police in 2019 and began studying towards my professional counselling qualifications at York St John University.
I didn't go to university at the age a lot of folks do, I didn't think I was up to it. I was worried I would fail, so I didn't try. I was 50 when I started at York St John University.
I had a late diagnosis of ADHD after struggling with executive dysfunction, rejection sensitive dysphoria and emotional dysregulation for many years. I do not claim to have all this sorted now, but I have learned to accept who I am.
In 25 years of policing, I dealt with all sorts of things people don't want to think about, including serious physical and sexual offences against adults and children, domestic abuse, murder, and people trafficking... I think you get the idea. I have personal experience with sexual grooming and assault, domestic abuse, and living with an alcoholic ex-partner.
I was a single parent for most of my police service career. I now know that I had undiagnosed Fibromyalgia and ADHD - no wonder it was blinking hard at times! Oh yes, and then perimenopause and menopause decided to join the party.
My Dad got a terminal illness, and I took on some serious caring responsibilities up until he entered hospice care. Through my own therapy, I realised I could help others. I specialised in working with vulnerable people, and although I saw and heard some horrible things, I feel proud that I've been able to support people at some of the most difficult times in their lives.
None of us is perfect. Our mistakes do not make us bad people - we can learn from them. We have all done, thought, or said things that we are not too proud of. Shame can weigh us down, but it does not need to.
I hate prejudice. I believe in acceptance. Everyone deserves respect. It is not for us to judge one another. I do not believe we should ever 'other' people - whether by race, gender, sexuality, skin colour, disability... anything! Even as a white, heterosexual woman, I have been 'othered', and it is horrible.
Cost of sessions
Please contact for prices/rates
