Based at Scent & Senses Wellbeing Centre in Magor Square
BA (Hons) Psychology
Registered Mental Health Nurse
MSc Professional Practice
Mindfulness and Meditation Coach
Reiki and Violet Flame Practitioner
I'm Julie. I have 30+ years of experience in mental health and psychological therapy (see above).
I am dedicated to offering affordable psychological and complementary therapy service, community groups, sessions and courses. My clients include men and women of all ages, and children aged 16+ with parental agreement (but without attending sessions unless the client requests).
I use many different methods, including psychological therapies, mindfulness, skills based work, meditation groups, wellness walks, and other holistic, complementary therapies (where required) helping you understand and manage difficulties that either keep coming up in your life, or a one off event causing you distress.
I work with you towards achieving the goals we identify together but led by you, with the unique approach I have coming from both a psychological and a mental health nursing perspective.
Building therapeutic and trusting relationships with the clients I work with is absolutely imperative. I am genuine, empathic, an active listener, in touch with many other local services, flexible to your needs, and extremely passionate about working with you as an individual.
Psychological therapies are individualised to you, helping you to find solutions, understanding together to make sense of why you feel the way you do, opportunity for you to offload, and for discussions about how to manage difficulties, make connections between how the past impacts the present and the future, challenging negative belief systems, and many other ways of working.
I am trained in psychological therapies such as DBT, CBT, SFT, ACT, NET, CFT, Rewind, Trauma Stabilisation, mindfulness, and so many more.
I have additional training in working with people who struggle with neurodivergent difficulties. There is often an overlap with other mental and emotional difficulties too and it can be helpful to understand different elements of each in order to find a more authentic self, with the addition of coping skills designed for specific individuals.
No obligation, initial free telephone call for up to 30 minutes if required, to assess needs and whether I can help.
Psychological therapies
Providing a quality, private therapy.
I can offer support in helping you build skills to manage your mental wellbeing, work through past traumas safely, support you in reducing self harm and lessening suicidal thoughts. I also can support resilience building and improving self compassion, managing anxiety and worry from negative thinking habits, and learning lots of skills to support all areas of mental and emotional wellbeing.
We will work a plan out together of how we will do that and each person is treated as an individual.
Please see the Resources section for additional services offered.
Individual Mental Health Support
It's all about what you need
Do you need 1:1 psychological therapies and/or complementary therapies to support you in getting your life back on track, start enjoying a life worth living, reduce suicidal thoughts, reduce or stop self harming?
Would you like your mood to improve or your anxiety to be more manageable?
Would you like to address childhood and/or complex trauma, attachment difficulties, interpersonal struggles, poor self esteem, mindfulness and grounding skills?
How about being more assertive, more confident, less afraid?
Do you want to stop people pleasing, managing imposter syndrome, constantly striving for perfection?
I am passionate about working with all these difficulties and would very much like to see what we could do together, working towards a common goal.
Therapeutic and practical work can take varying amounts of time. Sessions can be weekly, fortnightly, or monthly, but fortnightly is most usual.
Trauma stabilisation
My specialism is working with trauma
My specialism is working with people who have experienced trauma in any capacity.
Trauma is often misunderstood and many patterns you are struggling with in your life can come from elements of experiences in childhood. More often that not, this is what we discover, and that can help us adapt the messages we were given as children to create our own authentic self.
It is not about blame but simply a better understanding of why you struggle and why, and what helps moving forwards.
I have worked with hundreds of clients to make sense of what happened to them, the impact of trauma, skills for coping, the theoretical knowledge that's extremely powerful to understand, and ensuring this is done safely and at a pace that suits you.
This is true of complex trauma too which can be incredibly difficult but we do this in a safe space at a pace you feel comfortable with.
Therapeutic and practical work around trauma can take varying amounts of time and there are various options available. Sessions are usually best fortnightly.
Self harming and suicidal thoughts
Non-judgemental stance
I very much enjoy working with people who use self harming to cope with their distress.
Much as self harming and suicidality are different, there are times when they overlap. But self injury is a way people do cope, and the important thing is to understand it's role in managing your distress, and find alternative, more sustainable skills.
Often, psychiatrists look to label people with a diagnosis and sadly they often do not fully understand "behaviours" like this, leaving individuals feeling guilty and ashamed which are emotions we can work with.
Depression and anxiety
Reducing anxiety and lifting mood
Although different, anxiety and depression often go hand in hand in a vicious circle.
I can help you, through various methods and skills;
Improve your motivation
Lift your mood
Increase your self esteem
Challenge your anxieties
Find better ways of managing your mood and thoughts
Understanding your emotions
Re-framing negative thoughts
Build coping skills
Therapeutic and practical work around depression and anxiety can take varying amounts of time.
Mindfulness and Holistic Therapies
Additional skills to complement your therapy or as a standalone treatment
Mindfulness is a gentle but effective way of managing the stresses and difficulties of everyday life.
I teach you many techniques so you'll have a great "toolkit" of coping skills when needed.
Learning mindfulness skills can only take a couple of sessions but you can utilise the benefit for life.
Mindfulness is also something people aren't very clear about so learning about what it is can be really eye opening and way easier and more beneficial than you realise.
I also offer Guided Visualisation Meditation sessions (see the "Groups" section).
I also am a qualified Reiki and Violet Flame Healing Practitioner. Msg me on 07437 600105 for more information with no obligation.
Rewind Therapy
A different approach
This is a type of trauma therapy which does not involve you talking about the specifics of your trauma (although if comfortable, it can be helpful).
It can be a standalone treatment over a couple of sessions part of a longer amount of sessions, tailored to your needs, or an additional tool for those working through trauma therapy longer term.
Rewind Therapy can be done multiple times on different traumas.
If interested, please drop me a message for more details.
Whatever you feel a Mental Health Professional/Psychotherapist can do for you, I'm here to support you in making improvements in your life and happiness.
Groups and book
Constantly striving for improvement
Current community sessions and additional complementary therapies;
Guided Visualisation Sessions at Scent & Senses Wellbeing Centre in Magor Square every Wednesday 6.30-7.30pm.
I have been a mindfulness and meditation coach for over 20 years, and I guarantee you will feel extremely relaxed.
£10 per session but only 7 spaces per week so feel free to book ahead.
This type of meditation has consistently been shown to have longlasting emotional, mental, spiritual and physical health benefits.
You don't have to come every week to still feel the benefits, but each week will be a different guided imagery for you to enjoy.
All you need is contact me to book and pay for your space, turn up with a mat, a blanket and a pillow and let me do the rest.
Wellness Walks
Last Sunday of every month 10-11am at Rogiet Countryside Park. Booking is essential. We stop off for mindful and confidence building activities on the way. £5 per adult 16+ for the walk, the activities, any mindfulness items we use you keep, and a free resource pack.
Children and dogs welcome, accessible for wheelchairs and pushchairs.
Please get in touch for details of my recently published self help book - "Get Out of Your Comfort Zone and Into Your Life." This is available directly from me for just £15 or Amazon for £16.50. Postage is £3 directly from me or free to NP26 postcodes.
10th June - Shifting Awareness, becoming your authentic self is a 4 hour workshop which includes a Guided Visualisation Meditation, talking about the inner critic, perfectionism, people pleasing, being self-compassionate, mindfulness techniques and then finished with an amazing sound bath. Get in touch and I'll send you the poster and booking link. £5 deposit required with the balance of £35 due on the day. Includes a Mindfulness goodie bag and refreshments.
Common Queries
You Ask - I Answer
How much do you charge?
An hourly session for 1:1 therapy is £65. This would include psychological interventions, talking therapies, mindfulness, the space to talk and offload the things you are struggling with, skills work, and depending on the type of intervention, whatever that will encompass. I am flexible to your needs and availability.
Sessions are usually fortnightly but that is flexible to your preference.
Therapy isn't as expensive as you may expect and it's an investment in yourself. Plus big improvements can happen in short spaces of time.
How long will it take?
Depending on the individual needs you have, this work can take as little as 4 sessions to as many as 20 (or more in some cases). We frequently check in about goal setting and the direction we're going in to ensure we're on the right road.
How often will our sessions be?
This can be as flexible as you need. I don't necessarily need to see you at the same time on the same day, I can work around you. Some people prefer weekly, some fortnightly and some monthly. Also you may find, particularly if we're working through trauma, that weekly can be quite overwhelming. We make our next appointment at the end of each session, and this can change between weekly, fortnightly and monthly at that point. Most of my clients are fortnightly.
What if I change my mind?
If you decide not to go ahead, that's absolutely fine and I'd be more than happy to signpost you on to somewhere else that could help.
Where do sessions take place?
I currently see people at Scent & Senses Wellbeing Centre in Magor Square which has a beautifully calm and tranquil therapy room.
Appointments are available Tues, Weds and Thurs evening. However I can be flexible if those options don't suit you.
I also offer online or telephone sessions if felt appropriate, or even a mixture of all of these. Same hourly cost.
What complementary therapies do you offer alongside psychological therapies?
I offer reiki sessions for £40 per 45 minute session.
I also offer violet flame healing for £40 per 45 minute session.
These sessions work fantastically well alongside the work we do.
Please msg me for more information, absolutely no obligation.
Will I be able to have control over what we talk about?
Absolutely. It's very important that the care and therapy I offer is tailored to your individual needs. We can plan ahead but also be flexible to change that.
You will never be pressured to talk about something you don't feel ready to. However, therapy does involve some gentle exploration of difficult experiences but rest assured, you will be fully supported, plus I use different techniques depending on what you need and what we both feel would be helpful and manageable.
Will I have to tell you about all my traumas?
In order to work through trauma, processing it is the key. That will undoubtedly include difficult conversations but you will never be forced to talk about anything you do not wish to. This is your journey at your pace and I guarantee you safety, empathy, understanding, genuineness and validation.
Is it confidential?
Everything we talk about is briefly covered in notes I make, and are then stored securely only accessible to me.
The only time I may need to break confidentiality is if I identify any immediate risk such as a suicide plan, a plan to harm others, or if I am in any way concerned about safeguarding a child or vulnerable adult. This would always be discussed wherever possible.
What if I'm in crisis?
I am unable to offer a crisis service. However, if you need emergency/urgent services you can access this by calling the 111 press 2 service.
What hours do you work?
I work evenings on Tuesday, Wednesday or Thursday but I can be flexible to do other times where needed.
How do I know you're who you say you are?
All my academic and training certificates can be supplied on request.
I have Public and Professional Indemnity insurance.
I am registered and accredited with the NMC - please go to the NMC website and search my name for evidence.
My NMC PIN is 99C1813E
I am a member of the RCN.
Enhanced DBS certificate number 001823813462
Feedback I’ve Received
Patient Experiences
Julie is a wonderful person with a huge heart. She was my community psychiatric nurse and there are no words to explain just how supportive she was. I’m not sure I’d still be here if it weren’t for her care and empathy during a really dark time.
She has a natural ability to create a safe, non-judgemental space to open up about the way you’re feeling, your experiences past and present and the thoughts you’re having, no matter what they are.
She has the kindest heart ❤️
I had Julie as a CPN for nearly 5 years. Julie is honestly the best health care professional I have ever met. Julie always goes above and beyond in everything she does and is so caring. I honestly believe that Julie has saved my life on numerous occasions, I wouldn't be here without her. Julie is non judgmental and has such empathy and compassion. I find it hard to trust people but I literally trusted Julie with my life. Even if I felt like something was stupid she always reassured me that it wasn't. I was so glad when I met Julie as I finally found someone who understood me and knew exactly what to do to help. I will never be able to thank Julie enough for all she did for me. Nothing will ever explain how amazing she really is!
Julie is the most kind, caring and compassionate person I have ever had the pleasure of knowing. She came to me 7 years ago as a CPN and was the first person I ever trusted to help me. Her knowledge and expertise are just the tip of what Julie has to offer. Filled full of empathy and patience, she sees each person for who they are, completely non judgementally, and applies herself fully to helping every individual, both within and outside nursing. Her level of commitment and dedication in every aspect of her life is commendable, always going above and beyond for her clients and friends alike. She has touched the lives of so many. I honestly cannot recommend Julie enough!
During my time as a student mental health nurse, Jools was my mentor. She helped me develop my skills as a nurse to the best of my abilities. She showed compassion, empathy and consideration to all her patients and staff members. Jools is one of the best mental health nurses I have ever met as well as one of my best friends. She never fails to help and always puts so much effort and dedication in to her work and private life. Even now as a qualified nurse Jools is still there helping and supporting me through my journey of nursing.
I have had several CPNs and mental health support workers over the last ten years and I can honestly say Julie was the most compassionate, understanding and empathetic. She cares about ever person she works with and always goes above a beyond for her service users. I found it so easy to open up to Julie as she made me feel so comfortable with her Non judgmental approach. Julie doesn’t throw everybody into different categories by their diagnosis. She works with your symptoms like you are an ACTUAL person. Julie made me feel comfortable enough to open up about my traumas and she offered a wide range of resources to help me understand my brain and how to processes what had happened to me. Julie knows a wide range of what to do when people are in a dissociative state by working through grounding techniques and DBT skills. Cannot recommend enough.
My daughter had Julie as a CPN for many years and she helped her massively. However, she didn't just support my daughter, the support she gave to me as her mum was fantastic. Especially when my daughter was going through really tough times. I always knew I could count on Julie if I needed support with anything. If I had any concerns I always knew I could contact Julie for advice and she would help the best she could. Without Julie, I don't know what I would've done. She saved us! Julie always went above and beyond, the passion she has for her job is just lovely to see. Julie is so caring, friendly, trustworthy and kind. Out of all health care professionals I have met, Julie is the one who will always stick out to us as a family. We don't know what we would've done without her. Thank you Julie for all you have done for my daughter and our family.
Anyone familiar with me knows my strong advocacy for mental health. I believe that virtually everyone encounters struggles in this realm at some point in their lives, whether stemming from significant events or minor stressors. Each of us copes with these challenges in unique ways. Working in an industry heavily influenced by platforms like Instagram and TikTok, I'm acutely aware of the impact of filtered realities and the perpetuation of anxiety-inducing, seemingly perfect lives.For anyone seeking support, I wholeheartedly recommend Jools Dobson. I've known Jools personally and professionally for some time, and I trust her to provide valuable assistance in navigating mental health challenges.
Jools is incredible. For anyone considering, you seriously won't regret it! Thank you to Jools for all for all of the help and support I've had! 💗