About Justin.
Hi, I’m Justin. I’m an integrative counsellor offering face-to-face counselling in Rugby and online across the UK.
I don’t believe people need fixing. The ways we think, feel and respond often make more sense when we have time to understand them in the context of our experiences. That belief is central to how I think about counselling and why curiosity rather than judgement matters to me.
My training has given me different ways to think about what people bring to counselling, but those ideas should help me understand your experience rather than turn you into a theory. Professional knowledge matters, but so does being able to speak together in ordinary language.
About Justin.
Hi, I’m Justin. I’m an integrative counsellor offering face-to-face counselling in Rugby and online across the UK.
I don’t believe people need fixing. The ways we think, feel and respond often make more sense when we have time to understand them in the context of our experiences. That belief is central to how I think about counselling and why curiosity rather than judgement matters to me.
My training has given me different ways to think about what people bring to counselling, but those ideas should help me understand your experience rather than turn you into a theory. Professional knowledge matters, but so does being able to speak together in ordinary language.
About Justin.
Hi, I’m Justin. I’m an integrative counsellor offering face-to-face counselling in Rugby and online across the UK.
I don’t believe people need fixing. The ways we think, feel and respond often make more sense when we have time to understand them in the context of our experiences. That belief is central to how I think about counselling and why curiosity rather than judgement matters to me.
My training has given me different ways to think about what people bring to counselling, but those ideas should help me understand your experience rather than turn you into a theory. Professional knowledge matters, but so does being able to speak together in ordinary language.
What brought me to counselling.
I wanted to do work where the human value felt more immediate.
Before becoming a counsellor, I worked in project management within digital marketing. As the industry became increasingly corporate, I found myself wanting to do something where the human value felt more immediate, work that might make a useful difference in people’s lives, however small.
The move towards counselling happened gradually. Conversations with a close friend who had recently trained gave me an insight into both the work and the personal journey involved. At the same time, the isolation many people experienced during the Covid lockdowns made the need for meaningful support particularly visible.
My previous work had also brought me into contact with the construction industry, where I became increasingly aware of how many people - particularly men - could be living with serious difficulties without seeking help, sometimes with devastating consequences. Counselling began to feel like a way I could contribute: by making room for conversations that might otherwise not happen.
I was drawn not only to learning how to support other people, but also to the self-reflection involved in the training. It offered the chance to understand myself more fully while preparing for work that felt direct, personal and worthwhile.
What brought me to counselling.
I wanted to do work where the human value felt more immediate.
Before becoming a counsellor, I worked in project management within digital marketing. As the industry became increasingly corporate, I found myself wanting to do something where the human value felt more immediate, work that might make a useful difference in people’s lives, however small.
The move towards counselling happened gradually. Conversations with a close friend who had recently trained gave me an insight into both the work and the personal journey involved. At the same time, the isolation many people experienced during the Covid lockdowns made the need for meaningful support particularly visible.
My previous work had also brought me into contact with the construction industry, where I became increasingly aware of how many people - particularly men - could be living with serious difficulties without seeking help, sometimes with devastating consequences. Counselling began to feel like a way I could contribute: by making room for conversations that might otherwise not happen.
I was drawn not only to learning how to support other people, but also to the self-reflection involved in the training. It offered the chance to understand myself more fully while preparing for work that felt direct, personal and worthwhile.
How becoming a counsellor changed me.
Training as a counsellor involved more than learning theories and ways of working. It asked me to look closely at myself, the experiences I had carried with me and how they could influence my reactions to people and situations. I began to understand that what happens in the present is not always separate from what has happened before, even when we do not immediately recognise the connection.
Listening differently.
One of the most important changes was in how I listened to people. I had always thought of myself as someone who helped, but that often meant offering advice or trying to find an answer. I learnt that being helpful can sometimes mean listening properly, staying with what someone is experiencing and trusting that they can find their own way forward.
Experiencing counselling myself.
Personal therapy also formed part of my training, which became an important part of understanding myself and experiencing what it is like to sit in the client’s chair. Together with the reflective work involved in the course, it helped me recognise things about myself that I had previously seen as faults or problems in a different and more understanding way.
Changes beyond the work.
The training changed more than the work I wanted to do. It changed how I relate to other people and helped me become more comfortable being myself with them. It also reinforced something that now sits at the centre of my work: people often make more sense when they are given the time and attention to understand themselves.
How becoming a counsellor changed me.
Training as a counsellor involved more than learning theories and ways of working. It asked me to look closely at myself, the experiences I had carried with me and how they could influence my reactions to people and situations. I began to understand that what happens in the present is not always separate from what has happened before, even when we do not immediately recognise the connection.
Listening differently.
One of the most important changes was in how I listened to people. I had always thought of myself as someone who helped, but that often meant offering advice or trying to find an answer. I learnt that being helpful can sometimes mean listening properly, staying with what someone is experiencing and trusting that they can find their own way forward.
Experiencing counselling myself.
Personal therapy also formed part of my training, which became an important part of understanding myself and experiencing what it is like to sit in the client’s chair. Together with the reflective work involved in the course, it helped me recognise things about myself that I had previously seen as faults or problems in a different and more understanding way.
Changes beyond the work.
The training changed more than the work I wanted to do. It changed how I relate to other people and helped me become more comfortable being myself with them. It also reinforced something that now sits at the centre of my work: people often make more sense when they are given the time and attention to understand themselves.
Helping does not always mean finding an answer. Sometimes it means listening properly and trusting someone to find their own way.
Helping does not always mean finding an answer. Sometimes it means listening properly and trusting someone to find their own way.
Why I work integratively.
Different people need different things.
Integrative counselling combines different therapeutic approaches to create a flexible form of therapy tailored to you.
I trained as an integrative counsellor because it fits the way I naturally think and work. I have never been comfortable treating one method as the answer to every situation. During my previous work in project management, I learnt that an approach could be useful without being right for every project, team or person.
That feels even more important in counselling. Everyone brings different experiences, relationships and ways of understanding the world. Working integratively allows me to get to know the person in front of me before considering which ideas might be helpful, rather than deciding in advance what their therapy should look like.
The relationship comes first.
For me, the relationship we build is the most important thread running through the work. Being flexible allows that relationship and the work itself to develop together. We can respond to what becomes clearer through our conversations rather than being pulled along by a fixed plan.
Staying curious.
It also suits my curiosity. I enjoy learning, encountering different perspectives and continuing to question what I think I know. For me, the value of any therapeutic idea lies in whether it helps us understand something about your experience, not simply in following it because a particular approach says that we should.
Why I work integratively.
Different people need different things.
Integrative counselling combines different therapeutic approaches to create a flexible form of therapy tailored to you.
I trained as an integrative counsellor because it fits the way I naturally think and work. I have never been comfortable treating one method as the answer to every situation. During my previous work in project management, I learnt that an approach could be useful without being right for every project, team or person.
That feels even more important in counselling. Everyone brings different experiences, relationships and ways of understanding the world. Working integratively allows me to get to know the person in front of me before considering which ideas might be helpful, rather than deciding in advance what their therapy should look like.
The relationship comes first.
For me, the relationship we build is the most important thread running through the work. Being flexible allows that relationship and the work itself to develop together. We can respond to what becomes clearer through our conversations rather than being pulled along by a fixed plan.
Staying curious.
It also suits my curiosity. I enjoy learning, encountering different perspectives and continuing to question what I think I know. For me, the value of any therapeutic idea lies in whether it helps us understand something about your experience, not simply in following it because a particular approach says that we should.
The person in the room.
I take the work seriously, but that doesn't mean becoming a distant or overly formal version of myself. The person you meet will be me: sometimes thoughtful and serious, sometimes direct, and occasionally a little quirky or silly. Humour can have a place in counselling when it arises naturally, without making light of what matters to you.
I don't want you to feel as though you are talking to a blank mirror. I will be present and involved in our conversations, listening carefully, responding honestly and letting you know what I notice. I will not always understand everything immediately, and it's important that we can talk about it if I misunderstand something or the work does not feel useful.
Being genuine also means speaking plainly. Counselling has plenty of its own jargon, but unfamiliar language should't create distance between us. If I introduce a therapeutic idea, I'll explain it in ordinary terms so that we can consider whether it makes sense in relation to your experiences.
The person in the room.
I take the work seriously, but that doesn't mean becoming a distant or overly formal version of myself. The person you meet will be me: sometimes thoughtful and serious, sometimes direct, and occasionally a little quirky or silly. Humour can have a place in counselling when it arises naturally, without making light of what matters to you.
I don't want you to feel as though you are talking to a blank mirror. I will be present and involved in our conversations, listening carefully, responding honestly and letting you know what I notice. I will not always understand everything immediately, and it's important that we can talk about it if I misunderstand something or the work does not feel useful.
Being genuine also means speaking plainly. Counselling has plenty of its own jargon, but unfamiliar language should't create distance between us. If I introduce a therapeutic idea, I'll explain it in ordinary terms so that we can consider whether it makes sense in relation to your experiences.
Training and professional practice.
Being genuine and approachable doesn't make the professional side of counselling any less important. My work is supported by recognised training, ethical standards and regular professional reflection.
Qualifications and membership.
CPCAB Level 4 Diploma in Therapeutic Counselling
Accredited Registrant with the National Counselling and Psychotherapy Society (NCPS)
Individual Member of the British Association for Counselling and Psychotherapy (BACP)
Level 2 Certificate in Understanding Domestic Abuse, NCFE CACHE
Keeping my practice supported.
I meet regularly with a clinical supervisor. This gives me a confidential professional space to reflect on my work, consider anything I may be overlooking and help ensure that I continue to practise safely and ethically.
I also undertake continuing professional development to deepen my existing knowledge and learn about new ideas and areas of practice. This ongoing learning is an important part of being an integrative counsellor and allows the way I work to continue developing.
I hold professional insurance and a current DBS check, and I work in accordance with the ethical frameworks of the NCPS and BACP.
Qualifications and membership.
CPCAB Level 4 Diploma in Therapeutic Counselling
Accredited Registrant with the National Counselling and Psychotherapy Society (NCPS)
Individual Member of the British Association for Counselling and Psychotherapy (BACP)
Level 2 Certificate in Understanding Domestic Abuse, NCFE CACHE
Keeping my practice supported.
I meet regularly with a clinical supervisor. This gives me a confidential professional space to reflect on my work, consider anything I may be overlooking and help ensure that I continue to practise safely and ethically.
I also undertake continuing professional development to deepen my existing knowledge and learn about new ideas and areas of practice. This ongoing learning is an important part of being an integrative counsellor and allows the way I work to continue developing.
I hold professional insurance and a current DBS check, and I work in accordance with the ethical frameworks of the NCPS and BACP.
Away from counselling.
Most of my time away from counselling involves cats, music, anime or getting comfortable with a game on my Switch. I also enjoy being out in nature, especially a walk along the beach whenever I am near one.
Away from counselling.
Most of my time away from counselling involves cats, music, anime or getting comfortable with a game on my Switch. I also enjoy being out in nature, especially a walk along the beach whenever I am near one.
Where would you like to go next?
You can read more about how we might work together and what beginning therapy involves, or get in touch to arrange a free introductory conversation.
Where would you like to go next?
You can read more about how we might work together and what beginning therapy involves, or get in touch to arrange a free introductory conversation.