About me

A picture of Joanna smiling.

In terms of my work prior to becoming a spiritual director, I was a counsellor and psychotherapist working in the NHS and in private practice. I had trained in this field because I desired to walk alongside others seeking the same psychological healing and well-being that I had found when I had undertaken my own psychotherapeutic journey.

In terms of my spiritual life and faith, until 2010 I was an atheist but I am now a follower of Jesus Christ. However, in the past I also trained as a Reiki practitioner and spent time exploring and undertaking Buddhist, Native American, Shamanic and Druidic practises, so have some experiences of spirituality outside Christianity.

Currently those I walk alongside are generally fellow Christians. However, I am happy to walk alongside anyone, of any faith or belief, who is seeking to notice and respond to God’s personal invitations drawing them deeper into relationship with Him.

Having experienced much brokenness and many challenges in my own life, both before and since following Jesus, and also having many years’ experience of walking alongside people seeking their own psychological well-being, there is very little that fazes me and I am content to sit with people, wherever they are at in their walk with themselves and with God. I am passionate about offering Directees a safe place in which to explore their desires and dreams as well as their doubts and brokenness.

My hope is that in our time together Directees feel a real freedom to be completely honest, not just saying what they think they ought to say but rather speaking truthfully as they genuinely feel and experience.

I take seriously my commitment to be present to each person and to God’s Spirit in our time together and I work hard to have balance in my life, investing time in my own life and in my relationship with God, including seeing my own Spiritual Director and having supervision for my practice.

More generally in my life, I love: my family and friends; talking, with practically anyone, about practically anything; silence and stillness; listening to Gregorian chant and other ancient music of the Church; watching YouTube reaction videos to my favourite rappers; staying close to God throughout the day through the liturgy of the hours; watching creation unfold in my garden or by the sea and laughing too loudly with my family and friends.

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