Joshua Carter

Hi, I'm Joshua, a professional counsellor and registered British Association for Counselling and Psychotherapy (Â鶹ԭ´´) member.

I understand how daunting it can feel to look for a counsellor and to work out whether someone will feel like the right fit. My aim is to offer a calm, transparent, and supportive starting point, so you have a clear sense of how I work and what you can expect.

My approach is relational and integrative, with the therapeutic relationship at the centre of meaningful change. I work in a way that recognises how our experiences are held not only in our thoughts, but also in our bodies and in our patterns of relating to others. Therapy is therefore not about fixing you, but about understanding what has shaped you and how those experiences continue to influence your present life.

I work predominantly relationally and somatically, supporting clients to develop awareness, regulation, and integration through both body based and relational processes. Alongside this, I draw on a range of evidence based approaches to tailor therapy to your individual needs. These include EMDR, the Flash Technique, Emotional Freedom Techniques, and elements of Internal Family Systems. Where helpful, I also incorporate more structured, top down approaches such as Trauma Focused CBT and Exposure and Response Prevention. This integrative approach allows the work to remain flexible, collaborative, and responsive to you, rather than applying a one size fits all model.

I work with individuals, couples, and relationship systems. This includes heterosexual couples, same sex couples, and people in polycule or consensually non monogamous relationships. My work with couples and relationships is grounded in attachment informed and relational principles, supporting partners to better understand patterns of connection, rupture, and repair, and to develop safer and more meaningful ways of relating.

I have particular experience in working with trauma, attachment difficulties, and relationship challenges. I also work with neurodivergent individuals, often where there is an overlap with trauma, anxiety, or relational experiences, and I adapt my approach to meet different ways of processing, communicating, and experiencing the world. Alongside this, I offer inclusive and affirmative counselling for those exploring gender, sexuality, or identity, and I am proud to work in a way that actively affirms and supports the LGBTQIA+ community.

Together, we can explore what has brought you to therapy in a confidential, non judgemental space. My role is to help you make sense of your experiences, support regulation and integration, and create the conditions for change that feels grounded and sustainable.

With over seven years of experience working as a counsellor in various settings, including the NHS, schools, and a successful private practice, I have developed a deep understanding of diverse client needs. My expertise lies primarily in trauma therapy, where I have guided clients through the process of navigating and recovering from deeply impactful experiences. Additionally, I have extensive experience addressing a wide range of mental health concerns, from issues such as anxiety and depression to addiction, OCD, gender identity and sexuality

As a neurodiverse practitioner, I am committed to fostering an inclusive environment that respects and responds to each client’s and supervisee's individual perspectives and requirements. I practice relational integrative psychotherapy that places a strong emphasis on the therapeutic relationship as the central environment where entrenched relational patterns can be observed, understood, and transformed. I believe that our sense of self, security in the world, and comfort within our own skin are profoundly shaped by key relationships during our childhood years.

Therefore, the therapeutic relationship is a space where new relational experiences can challenge and reshape these ingrained patterns and perspectives. My goal is to facilitate a process that allows these old ways of being to be gently examined and evolved into healthier, more adaptive patterns.

My core training includes a BSc in Therapeutic Counselling, where I focused on a relational and integrative approach to therapy. I am currently pursuing an MSc in Psychology, with my dissertation exploring the long-term psychological effects of emotional abuse on adult sons by narcissistic mothers.

Just as in therapy, I believe that the foundation of effective supervision lies in a secure, attuned, and trustworthy relationship. My aim is to create an environment where you feel safe to explore your practice openly, without fear of judgment, and where you can receive constructive feedback and new insights.

Supervision can sometimes be challenging when it comes to being fully transparent. It’s natural to worry about being judged or misunderstood, especially when discussing those difficult moments where boundaries were tested or when you felt uncertain or overwhelmed. These experiences, however, are integral to your growth as a therapist.

In our supervisory relationship, I strive to provide a space where you feel understood and supported, even when discussing your most challenging therapeutic moments. My approach is to meet you with empathy and to help you navigate these experiences with understanding and compassion.

I encourage you to think critically about your client work, which will help you develop your skills and confidence. I will consider your overall career development and work to help you grow in your professional journey.

Each therapist’s journey is unique, and I am open to collaboratively finding the best ways of working together that meet your individual needs. The broad aims of our supervision sessions will be to:

- Support you in your clinical practice

- Reflect on both your clients' processes and your own therapeutic relationships

- Enhance your competence, skills, knowledge, and confidence

- Foster your ongoing professional development

- Ensure ethical practice in your work, safeguarding both your well-being and that of your clients, the public, and the profession as a whole

The supervision I offer utilises the Seven-Eyed Model (Hawkins and Shohet, 2012).