Jennifer Bellamy – Integrative Counsellor, BA (Hons), Pg Dip, MBACP

I’m Jen.

If you’re looking for counselling because you’re grieving, feeling lost, struggling with later life, living with an eating disorder, or simply carrying more than you can manage on your own, you’re very welcome here.

Perhaps someone important to you has died and life doesn’t feel recognisable anymore. Perhaps retirement hasn’t brought the peace you expected. Maybe you’re caring for someone else, facing changes to your health, struggling with your relationship with food, or wondering who you are now that life looks very different to how you imagined.

Whatever has brought you here, you don’t need to have everything figured out before we meet. Most people don’t. We simply start wherever you are.

A little about me

Before becoming a counsellor, I spent over 25 years working in social care, supporting people through some of life’s most difficult experiences. I later worked as a bereavement counsellor in a hospice working with people looking to find meaning again after profound loss.

Alongside my professional experience, life has taken me through difficult places of my own. Those experiences include lived experience of eating disorders, an area I continue to deepen through specialist training.

I don’t tell you this because my story is important. I tell you because it means very little shocks me. I won’t judge you, expect you to “stay positive”, or make you feel like you have to say the right thing. I’ve spent many years alongside people when life has fallen apart, and I know that healing rarely begins with perfect words.

Many of the people who come to see me are older adults, particularly those navigating bereavement, major life changes, loneliness or feeling that life has become unfamiliar.

I also work with many men who have spent years putting everyone else first and aren’t quite sure how to begin talking about themselves.

I also support people affected by eating disorders. I understand how complicated these struggles can be, not just for the person experiencing them, but for the people who love them too. If food, body image or your relationship with yourself has become exhausting or overwhelming, counselling can offer a safe place to begin making sense of it.

If you’ve delayed reaching out because counselling feels uncomfortable, unfamiliar or “not for people like me”, you’re not alone. You don’t need to arrive knowing what to say. We’ll work at your pace.

Grief doesn’t only affect the relationship you’ve lost.

It can shake your confidence, your routines, your identity, your family life and your sense of who you are. It can leave you feeling disconnected from everyone around you, especially when the rest of the world seems to have moved on.

Whether you’ve lost a partner, parent, child, sibling, friend or someone else close to you, counselling offers a place where you don’t have to protect anyone else from your feelings.

There is no timeline for grief, and no expectation that you’ll simply “move on”. Together, we’ll make space for your loss while gently exploring what life might look like alongside it.

Growing older brings changes that aren’t always easy to talk about.

Retirement, changing relationships, caring responsibilities, health concerns, loneliness or wondering who you are now that life looks different can all leave you feeling unsettled.

These are experiences I understand deeply, both professionally and personally. They deserve time, compassion and somewhere you can speak honestly without feeling rushed or judged.

People often describe me as calm, grounded and easy to talk to.

Our sessions are conversations rather than interrogations. I won’t hide behind jargon or complicated psychological language. I believe the relationship between us is one of the most important parts of therapy.

We’ll move at your pace.

Sometimes we’ll explore long-standing patterns. Sometimes we’ll sit quietly with difficult emotions. Sometimes we’ll look at practical changes that could help you feel more like yourself again.

Alongside my counselling training, I also have experience in coaching, which can be helpful when you’re looking to rebuild confidence or make changes in your life. There is never pressure to “fix” yourself. Often the most important thing is simply having somewhere safe to be exactly as you are.

I’m a real person before I’m a counsellor.

I have purple hair, a wonderful husband, four cats, a love of long walks and far too many art supplies.

I mention this because choosing a counsellor is personal. I hope it gives you a small sense of the person you’ll be meeting.

I work from a integrative approach, but I believe you are the expert on your own life.

Rather than following a rigid formula, I tailor our work around you, your experiences and what feels most helpful. My role isn’t to tell you what to do, but to listen carefully, help you make sense of what’s happening and support you in finding your own way forward.

Where appropriate, I also draw upon coaching skills to help you build confidence, make decisions or create practical changes. Therapy isn’t about advice or quick fixes. It’s about understanding yourself more deeply and finding a way through that feels right for you.

Above all, I aim to create a space where you feel accepted, listened to and able to speak honestly without fear of judgement.

My work particularly focuses on:
• Grief and bereavement
• Eating disorders
• Body image
• Disordered eating
• Loss of a partner or loved one
• Later life challenges
• Retirement and life transitions
• Men’s mental health
• Loneliness and isolation
• Anxiety
• Depression
• Low self-esteem
• Stress
• Identity and purpose
• Caring responsibilities
• Health-related life changes
• Relationship difficulties
• Emotional overwhelm

I also welcome enquiries from anyone who simply feels that life has become difficult and would value somewhere safe to talk.

Many people worry about coming to counselling for the first time.

You might be wondering what you’ll say, whether you’ll cry, whether counselling is really for you, or whether your problems are “big enough”.

Please don’t worry.

The first session is simply a conversation. We’ll talk about what’s brought you here, what you’d like support with and answer any questions you may have.

There is no expectation to share everything straight away.

We’ll work at a pace that feels comfortable for you.

I offer a free 30 minute introductory phone or video call so we can meet, talk about what has brought you to counselling and decide whether we’re the right fit for one another.

Individual counselling sessions are £65 for 50 minutes.

A limited number of concessionary spaces are available. Please ask if cost is something you’re worried about.

Choosing a counsellor can feel daunting.

The relationship between counsellor and client is one of the strongest predictors of successful therapy, so it’s important that you feel comfortable with the person you’re talking to.

If you’re unsure whether counselling is right for you, or you’re simply nervous about making that first contact, you’re very welcome to arrange a free introductory conversation.

There’s no obligation to book ongoing sessions afterwards.

Sometimes taking the first step is the hardest part.

You don’t need to know exactly what you want to say before you get in touch.

Just send me a message when you’re ready.

We’ll take it from there.

CONTACT ME:

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