Joanne - Counsellor
At a Glance
- Member of the British Association for Counselling and Psychotherapy (BACP)
- Diploma in Counselling (Level 4) — integrative approach combining Person-Centred Therapy and CBT
- Over 20 years of counselling experience
- Individual counselling · EAP counselling · Organisational referrals
- Face-to-face in Beltinge, Herne Bay · Walk-and-talk (weather permitting) · Online and telephone UK-wide
- Adults (18+) · Young people (14+) · Older adults · EAP clients · Neurodivergent-affirming
- £65 per session
- Daytime · Monday to Friday
- Free 15-minute consultation — no commitment, no pressure
Counselling in Herne Bay, Kent — About Joanne
Sometimes the best place to begin is simply a space where you feel safe to speak — without judgment, without pressure, and at your own pace. For some people that space is indoors. For others, being outside and moving makes it easier to open up. Joanne offers both, and she has spent over 20 years finding the right approach for each individual she works with.
Joanne is a qualified integrative counsellor based in Beltinge, Herne Bay, offering face-to-face and walk-and-talk sessions in Kent alongside online and telephone counselling for adults and young people across the UK. She holds a Level 4 Diploma in Counselling and is a member of the British Association for Counselling and Psychotherapy (BACP). Her integrative approach combines Person-Centred Therapy with Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT) — blending a warm, empathetic, client-led style with practical tools and structure where these are useful.
Joanne works with both adults and young people aged 14 and above, offering tailored support that reflects the very different challenges that arise at different stages of life. She is neurodivergent-affirming and offers a genuinely inclusive space for clients of all backgrounds and identities.
Background & Experience
With over 20 years of counselling experience, Joanne has supported a wide range of people through an equally wide range of difficulties — from anxiety and depression to trauma, bereavement, relationship challenges, and questions of identity and self-worth. This depth of experience means she rarely encounters a situation that is entirely unfamiliar, and brings both skill and genuine attentiveness to every client she works with.
Joanne’s integrative training — combining Person-Centred and CBT frameworks — gives her the flexibility to work in the way that is most useful for each individual. Some clients want emotional space to explore and be heard. Others want practical strategies and a more structured approach. Many benefit from both. Joanne adapts according to what each person needs, rather than applying a fixed method regardless of who is in front of her.
She has particular experience working with young people aged 14 and above, and with neurodivergent clients including those with ADHD and autism. She also offers walk-and-talk sessions — outdoor counselling sessions conducted while walking, weather permitting — which can be especially helpful for those who find the traditional indoor therapy setting less comfortable, including many neurodivergent clients and young people.
Joanne maintains regular professional supervision and is committed to ongoing professional development. She works with individual clients on a private basis and also supports those referred through EAP arrangements and one-off organisational referrals.
Therapeutic Approach
Joanne’s integrative practice combines two established therapeutic frameworks, applying each according to what is most useful for the individual client.
Person-Centred Therapy
Person-Centred Therapy places you and your experience at the heart of every session. Joanne’s Person-Centred approach means she offers unconditional positive regard, genuine empathy, and a non-judgmental presence — creating a space where you can explore your thoughts, feelings, and experiences without pressure or agenda. This approach trusts in your own capacity for understanding and growth, and is central to the warm, accepting quality of Joanne’s therapeutic style. Person-Centred counselling in Herne Bay and online.
Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT)
CBT is a structured, evidence-based approach that helps clients understand the connections between thoughts, feelings, and behaviours — identifying unhelpful patterns and developing more constructive ways of responding. Joanne integrates CBT tools within her Person-Centred framework, offering practical strategies for managing anxiety, stress, OCD, and emotional difficulties alongside the deeper relational and exploratory work. CBT therapist Herne Bay and online across Kent and the UK.
Walk-and-Talk Therapy
Joanne offers walk-and-talk counselling sessions — outdoor therapy conducted while walking near her base in Beltinge, Herne Bay, weather permitting. Walk-and-talk therapy can be particularly helpful for those who find it easier to open up while moving, those who feel more comfortable outdoors than in an indoor room, and neurodivergent clients for whom traditional sitting-and-talking formats can feel difficult. Walk-and-talk therapy in Herne Bay, Kent — weather permitting.
Working with Young People (14+)
Joanne offers counselling for young people aged 14 and above, bringing over 20 years of experience and a genuine understanding of the emotional, social, and academic pressures that adolescence involves. She creates a calm, non-judgmental space where young people can speak freely and at their own pace.
She supports young people with a wide range of difficulties including anxiety, social anxiety, and OCD; academic stress and school-related difficulties; low self-esteem and self-image; identity exploration including gender identity; family separation and relationship difficulties; bullying and its emotional impact; neurodivergent experiences including ADHD and autism; bereavement and loss; and attachment difficulties. Young person counselling in Herne Bay and online across Kent and the UK.
Areas of Focus
Joanne offers counselling in Herne Bay, Kent, and online and telephone counselling to adults and young people across the UK. The following are areas she works with regularly and has specific experience in.
Anxiety, OCD and stress
If anxiety has been making daily life harder — through persistent worry, panic, obsessive thoughts, social anxiety, phobias, or the weight of chronic stress — counselling with Joanne in Herne Bay or online can offer a space to understand what is driving it and develop a more workable relationship with it. Joanne draws on both Person-Centred exploration and CBT tools depending on what is most useful. Anxiety counsellor Herne Bay and online Kent.
Depression and low mood
Persistent low mood, loss of motivation, or a quiet sense of disconnection from life — depression takes many forms. Joanne works gently alongside people experiencing depression through counselling in Herne Bay and online across the UK.
Trauma, PTSD and abuse
Joanne has experience working with trauma, PTSD, domestic violence, and the effects of emotional, physical, and sexual abuse. Trauma counselling in Herne Bay, Kent, is paced carefully, with close attention to safety and your readiness to explore difficult material.
Bereavement and loss
Bereavement counselling in Herne Bay with Joanne offers an unhurried, compassionate space to process grief in whatever form it takes — whether the death of someone close, the end of a relationship, pregnancy loss, or another form of significant personal loss.
Relationships and family
Separation and divorce, family conflict, parenting challenges, communication difficulties, betrayal, or the loneliness of feeling disconnected from the people around you — Joanne works with individuals navigating relational difficulties of all kinds through counselling in Herne Bay and online.
Neurodivergent-affirming counselling
Joanne offers neurodivergent-affirming counselling for adults and young people with ADHD, autism, and related experiences. Her approach adapts to suit different communication styles and ways of processing — including offering walk-and-talk sessions for those who find outdoor movement helpful. Neurodivergent counselling Herne Bay and online Kent.
Identity, gender and sexuality
Joanne offers an inclusive, affirming space for exploring questions of gender identity, sexuality, and personal identity — with no judgment and no agenda. LGBTQIA+ affirming counselling in Herne Bay and online across the UK.
Sessions with Joanne
Joanne offers face-to-face counselling and walk-and-talk sessions in Beltinge, Herne Bay, Kent, and online and telephone counselling to adults and young people across the UK. Face-to-face and walk-and-talk sessions are available Monday to Friday during the day. Online and telephone sessions are also available in the evenings.
Walk-and-talk sessions are conducted outdoors near Joanne’s base in Beltinge and are subject to suitable weather conditions.
Joanne works with individual clients privately, and also supports those referred through EAP (Employee Assistance Programme) arrangements and one-off organisational referrals.
Sessions are 50 minutes. Joanne works with clients on a short-term or longer-term basis depending on what you are bringing and what feels right. Sessions are confidential. There are limited circumstances in which this may need to change — for example, if there is a serious risk of harm to you or others. Joanne will explain these clearly before any work begins.
Location — Beltinge, Herne Bay, Kent
Joanne offers face-to-face and walk-and-talk counselling in Beltinge, Herne Bay, and online and telephone counselling to individuals across the UK. If you are based in or near Herne Bay, the following gives you a sense of how long it typically takes to travel to Beltinge/Herne Bay.
| Sturry | 10 mins |
| Whitstable | 15 mins |
| Canterbury | 20 mins |
| Birchington | 20 mins |
| Margate | 25 mins |
| Faversham | 25 mins |
| Broadstairs | 25 mins |
| Ramsgate | 30 mins |
| Deal | 30 mins |
| Sittingbourne | 30 mins |
Journey times show how long it takes to reach Beltinge/Herne Bay by the fastest available transport. Online and telephone counselling is available to anyone across the UK.
Joanne’s counselling practice in Herne Bay is particularly convenient for clients based in Canterbury, Whitstable, and Margate. Online and telephone sessions are available to anyone across the UK.
Fees
- Individual sessions: £65 per session
As part of Hope Therapy’s team of 90+ qualified counsellors, Joanne is matched to clients where there is a strong therapeutic fit. Counselling in Herne Bay and online with Hope Therapy starts from £65 — significantly more accessible than many comparable private practices in Kent.
Book a Free Consultation
If you are looking for a counsellor in Herne Bay or Kent, or would like to access online or telephone counselling from anywhere in the UK, a free 15-minute consultation is a good place to start. There is no commitment and no pressure — just a chance to ask questions and find out whether Joanne is the right fit for you.
Hope Therapy’s team is also available by phone 24 hours a day if you would prefer to speak to someone before booking.
Book your free consultation: https://calendly.com/hopetherapy/15-minute-consultation
More Info
| Qualifications | Diploma in Counselling (Level 4) |
| Professional membership | Member of the British Association for Counselling and Psychotherapy (BACP) |
| NCPS | Hope Therapy & Counselling Services is an Organisational Member of the National Counselling & Psychotherapy Society (NCPS) |
| Services | Individual counselling · EAP counselling · Organisational referrals |
| Therapeutic approach | Integrative: Person-Centred Therapy (PCA) + Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT) |
| Session format | Face-to-face (Beltinge, Herne Bay) · Walk-and-talk (weather permitting) · Online · Telephone |
| Session length | 50 minutes |
| Availability | Daytime (Monday to Friday) · Evenings (online/telephone) |
| Fee | £65 per session |
| Venue | Beltinge, Herne Bay, Kent |
| Client groups | Adults (18+) · Young people (14+) · Older adults · EAP · Neurodivergent-affirming |
| Languages | English |
| Last reviewed | April 2026 |
| Booking | https://calendly.com/hopetherapy/15-minute-consultation |
Further Areas Joanne Works With
- Abortion — counselling online
- Abuse counselling Herne Bay and online
- ADD counselling online
- ADHD counselling Herne Bay and online
- Affairs and betrayals — counselling online
- Anger management counselling Kent and online
- Anxiety counselling Herne Bay and Kent
- Attachment difficulties counselling online
- Autism counselling Herne Bay and online
- Bereavement counselling Herne Bay and Kent
- Behaviour problems counselling online
- Bullying — counselling online Kent
- Career counselling online
- Carer support counselling online
- Child-related issues counselling online
- Childhood bereavement counselling online
- Childhood bullying counselling online
- Children’s learning difficulties counselling online
- Depression counselling Herne Bay and Kent
- Depression and anxiety in children counselling online
- Disabilities — counselling online
- Discrimination — counselling online
- Domestic abuse counselling Herne Bay and online
- EAP counselling Herne Bay and online
- Emotional abuse counselling online
- Family issues counselling online
- Generalised anxiety disorder (GAD) counselling online
- Gender identity counselling — affirming, Herne Bay
- Grief counselling Herne Bay and Kent
- Health anxiety counselling online
- Infertility counselling online
- Learning difficulties counselling online
- LGBTQIA+ affirming counselling Herne Bay and online
- Life transitions counselling Kent and online
- Loneliness counselling online
- Low self-confidence counselling online
- Low self-esteem counselling Herne Bay and online
- Miscarriage counselling online
- Neurodivergent counselling Herne Bay and online
- OCD counselling Herne Bay and online
- Panic attacks counselling Herne Bay and online
- Passive-aggressive behaviour counselling online
- Phobia counselling online
- Physical abuse counselling online
- Postnatal depression counselling online
- Post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) counselling online
- Pregnancy and birth counselling online
- Redundancy counselling online
- Relationship counselling Herne Bay and online
- SAD — seasonal affective disorder counselling online
- Separation and divorce counselling online
- Separation anxiety counselling online
- Sexual abuse counselling online
- Sexuality — affirming counselling online
- Social anxiety counselling Herne Bay and online
- Spirituality counselling online
- Stress counselling Herne Bay and Kent
- Trauma counselling Herne Bay and Kent
- Walk-and-talk therapy Herne Bay Kent
- Work-related stress counselling online Kent
- Young carers counselling online
- Young people counselling 14+ Herne Bay and online
- Listing ID: 1124
- Type of Support: CBT Counselling, Counselling
- Types of Counselling: Young People (12 - 18), Adults (18+), LGBTQ+ Support
- Type of Session: In Person, Online (Via Zoom & Skype), Phone
- Availability: Daytime, Evening, Weekend