About me

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My name is Joanna Jeske. I am an Integrative Child and Adolescent Psychotherapist with experience working with children, teenagers, young adults and parents/carers. I also work with adult clients.

 

I believe therapy should be a safe, supportive space, free from judgement, where young people feel able to share their feelings, thoughts and experiences at their own pace. My aim is to help children and young people feel understood, accepted and supported as they make sense of what is happening for them.

 

In my work, I support clients to explore the links between their thoughts, emotions and behaviours, particularly within relationships and different life contexts. I understand that some experiences are difficult to put into words, especially for young people. When words are not enough, I gently encourage expression through creative and sensory approaches such as drawing, movement, play or sand tray work.

 

I regularly use mindfulness-based techniques to support emotional awareness and self-regulation, helping young people notice and manage big feelings more safely. I also pay close attention to the mind–body connection, exploring how emotions are experienced physically and supporting young people to develop greater awareness of what their bodies are communicating during sessions.

 

I have worked as a psychotherapist in both primary and secondary school settings. Most recently, I have provided individual therapy for adolescents with additional needs, including autism and learning difficulties. This has given me valuable experience working with young people who find it hard to engage in therapy or to express their feelings in ways that feel safe or manageable for them.

 

I also work therapeutically with parents and carers, offering a reflective and containing space to think together about a child’s behaviour, emotional needs and inner world, as well as parents’ own feelings and responses. I see this work as an important part of supporting lasting and meaningful change for young people.

 

I have extensive experience working with Looked After Children who have experienced significant attachment trauma. In this role, I work closely with children, foster carers and social workers, drawing on current neuroscience and trauma-informed practice. My focus is on supporting the development of secure attachment and nurturing relationships, using play, art-based therapies and body-focused approaches. I am certified to work with harmful sexual behaviours. As part of my role, I also co-develop and deliver professional training programmes that support foster carers on their therapeutic parenting journeys, accredited by City & Guilds.

 

Across all of my work, I aim to build on each young person’s strengths and resilience, helping them grow in confidence and feel better equipped to face both current and future challenges.

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Specialisms:

Depression, anxiety, stress, anger, confidence and self-esteem, body image, trauma (including developmental trauma), self-harm, grief, relationship difficulties, issues relating to sexuality and identity, and harmful sexual behaviours.

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Qualifications:

MA in Integrative Child and Adolescent Psychotherapy

EMDR for adults and children

Advanced Diploma in the Therapeutic and Educational Application of the Arts

Certified in Healing Trauma with Guided Drawing

Accredited member of the United Kingdom Council for Psychotherapists (UKCP)