Jennifer "Jen" Somerville , BACP

Jennifer "Jen" Somerville is a counsellor who has been qualified since 2018, bringing eight years of professional experience to her work. She practices in an integrative way that places person-centred care at its core - she believes each person is the expert on their own life and that gentle, respectful support can help untangle difficult issues. Where needed, she draws on additional therapeutic approaches to tailor support to each individual’s circumstances.

Jen has supported people through a wide range of challenges including homelessness, addiction, family and parenting difficulties, adoption-related matters, study and school attendance concerns, bereavement and loss, palliative care and life-shortening conditions, child loss, religious trauma, workplace issues, and struggles with identity. Her specialties include addictions, family work, grief, parenting, and coping with life changes, with extra focus on caregiver stress, chronic illness and disability, control issues, divorce and separation, guilt and shame, isolation, life purpose, narcissism, pregnancy and childbirth, self-love, women’s issues, and workplace difficulties.

She works with both adults and young people and holds an additional qualification for working specifically with young people. Jen is registered with BACP, a professional counselling membership, which reflects her commitment to professional standards. She offers short- and longer-term counselling and can work face-to-face, online, or by telephone. Jen is not currently accepting new clients.

Person-centred and Integrative Approaches for Online Support

Jennifer primarily works from a person-centred perspective, which focuses on creating a respectful, non-judgemental space where the individual’s own insights and values guide the work - this approach is well suited to issues like grief, identity, parenting concerns, and coping with life changes. She also uses an integrative framework, combining techniques from different evidence-based approaches as appropriate to the presenting difficulty - this flexibility allows targeted support for challenges such as addiction, family conflict, chronic illness, and workplace stress.

Finding the right therapeutic approach is part of the collaborative process. Licensed professionals and therapists work with clients to explore goals, preferences, and what feels most helpful, adjusting methods over time so the approach fits the person rather than forcing the person to fit a single model.

Online therapy offers practical benefits for accessing that collaborative work. Video calls enable face-to-face conversation when meeting in person is difficult, phone sessions provide an accessible alternative, and live chat or text-based messaging can suit people who prefer writing or need flexible scheduling. These options increase accessibility and make it easier for clients to maintain continuity of care across busy or changing lives.