Jo Walton

At Birch Wood we have a qualified Children and Young Peoples’ Counsellor, registered with the British Association for Counselling and Psychotherapy (BACP).  Integrative Counselling combines a Person-Centred Approach alongside a variety of therapeutic interventions, such as Systemic, Creative, Cognitive Behavioural Therapy, Lego-based Therapeutic Coaching, Play Therapy and Drawing & Talking Therapy, in order to bring about positive change in children and young people. 

Counselling is delivered one to one, face to face, with students experiencing a range of social, emotional and mental health difficulties which can be related to trauma, bereavement, domestic abuse, emotional distress, stress, low mood, anxiety, low self-esteem, childhood abuse, life transitions, peer and/or family relationships, lack of confidence and those who self-harm and/or have suicidal thoughts/feelings. 

Counselling is delivered in a confidential, safe, non-judgemental, and empathic environment in which students can share and explore challenges that they are experiencing, allowing them to grow and move forward in a positive way.  There will usually be 6 sessions to begin with, after which point the progress made will be reviewed and counselling will either conclude at 6 or additional sessions will be agreed upon with the child/young person, parents/carers and Birch Wood School. Counselling sessions are between 30-50 minutes dependant on the intervention and the needs of the child or young person.