Jonathan Wilkes, BACP Therapist - Registered Member MBACP #383020

Hello, I'm an Integrative Psychosynthesis counsellor based in central Bristol, UK, working with clients online and face to face since 2018. I have many years of prior experience working with adults and young people with complex mental health issues in a number of different roles. I work with people who are experiencing many different issues, including but not limited to:

• depression, anxiety, anger/rage, loss and grief
• relationship issues
• childhood trauma
• self-esteem issues and feelings of worthlessness or insignificance
• repetitive automatic negative thoughts, feelings and behaviours
• suicidal feelings and self-harming behaviour
• eating disorders
• emotional dysregulation and BPD
• difficulties with major life changes and transitions
• 'eco-anxiety' and other issues related to the change and turbulence of modern society

If you are experiencing anything from the above list at the moment, I will be able to help you. I create a warm, friendly and accepting atmosphere with clients when I work with them. I also listen to my clients deeply and attentively. I am aware from my own experience in therapy that feeling heard, seen and understood is crucial if counselling is to be helpful and transformative.

The basic principles of empathy, congruence and unconditional acceptance are fundamental to my work with clients; this is the therapeutic 'ground' that I use in my counselling practice. I also understand that the therapeutic relationship grows over time in an organic way by myself and my client spending time together once a week; a sense of mutual trust and understanding will emerge in its own time.

This in turn encourages deeper levels of honesty and authenticity in the counselling room, it can be a profound experience for a client when they take the risk of opening up and saying something to me that they may not have said to anyone before, and discover that it was safe for them to do so and nothing bad happened.

There are many layers to our psyche; these layers can be slowly uncovered and explored, while healing and releasing anything that may need to be during this process of exploration. I meet my clients where they are and I work at their pace.I have 4 years of experience working with clients in a counselling and psychotherapeutic context and many years of additional experience working with adults and young people with complex mental health issues and learning difficulties.

Current qualifications:
• Post-Graduate Diploma in Psychosynthesis - Psychosynthesis Trust, London.
• Foundation qualification in Ayurvedic Astrology from the American Institute of Vedic Studies
• Certificate in Regression Therapy from Woolger International.
• 500 hour Yoga teacher training certificate from Yogasara Academy, Bristol.
• BSc (Hons) Psychology – University of the West of England, Bristol.

If you are coming to counselling having experienced wounding, pain, trauma, or loss, it would be quite normal for you to become emotional while we work together. I welcome the free expression and release of emotions. I have found this to be a very important aspect of helpful therapy; to help someone feel and express their emotions, however difficult they may be, while providing a safe and loving container for this process to unfold in.

Psychosynthesis is a very open and adaptable system, so I sometimes use ideas or techniques from other therapeutic systems, depending on what your needs may be.
These include; CBT, Existential Therapy, Gestalt Therapy, breathing and meditation practices, body-based awareness techniques and others. I feel it’s important, at least in long term work, to explore our childhood and come to understand how our early experience, with and around our parents or primary caregivers, has a huge impact on the people we come to be in our adult lives.

Understanding how early experience can lead to the creation of a 'survival personality', which we adopt and operate from later on in life, can bring deep insight. This insight can allow us to make new choices which lead to a happier and more fulfilling life. It’s also normally very helpful, at some point at least, to work with our ‘sub-personalities’ in Psychosynthesis therapy. These are the smaller sub-selves, or ‘parts’ of us, that make up the totality of who we are.

In a counselling session there are other techniques that I may use, if appropriate. These include; dialogue and enquiry, emotional release and catharsis, short meditations, guided visualisations and imagery, creative writing and drawing, role-playing situations, psycho-educational work and many more.