Victoria Jeckells
About Me
About me
An integrative approach to therapy
At times life can feel more challenging and you may find yourself struggling to process things. I offer a non-judgmental, safe space to work through the issues that you bring.
Understanding yourself better — and the impact this has on all aspects of life — can have a profound effect on your mood and health. Focusing on self-compassion and understanding, the most important element of therapy is establishing a trusting relationship in which we can work together, so that you feel safe and comfortable to explore issues with curiosity.
I use a creative and empathetic approach, working with practical tools and solutions to create change. I begin with a free initial phone call to discuss what has brought you to therapy and for us both to decide the best way forward. Please feel free to get in touch.
My approach draws on
-
Psychodynamic therapy An exploration of unconscious patterns and past experiences affecting your present life.
-
Cognitive behavioural therapy (CBT) Identifying and modifying negative thought patterns to change behaviours.
-
Client-centred therapy A warm, non-judgemental approach that validates your unique experience and growth.
-
Hypnotherapy Working in a deeply relaxed state to support positive change — particularly effective for anxiety, confidence, and habits.
-
Embodiment & mindfulness Practical tools including breathing techniques and guided visualisation to support grounding and self-awareness.
-
Short-term focused therapy A focused and efficient approach to specific, time-limited goals.
-
Self-compassion techniques Cultivating kindness towards oneself as a key part of healing.
My background
I have spent 25 years working in the caring professions, and it is work I find genuinely inspiring. I originally trained as an occupational therapist, specialising in mental health and working extensively with people experiencing eating disorders and psychiatric conditions. That foundation gave me a deep understanding of how our minds and bodies are connected, and how profoundly our mental health shapes every aspect of daily life.
I went on to train as a hypnotherapist and psychotherapeutic counsellor, and for the past four and a half years I have worked for a local voluntary organisation where I have had the privilege of working with a wonderfully diverse range of people — including refugees and asylum seekers. That experience has strengthened my commitment to trauma-informed practice and to working with people whose lives have been shaped by complex and often painful circumstances.
I believe that everybody deserves the opportunity to feel truly heard and to explore their potential — regardless of their background or what has brought them to therapy.
How I work
My approach is integrative, which means I draw on a range of theories and techniques and tailor them to you specifically, rather than applying a one-size-fits-all method. Combining psychodynamic, cognitive behavioural, and person-centred approaches, I work with whatever feels most useful for you at any given point in our work together.
As a qualified hypnotherapist as well as a psychotherapeutic counsellor, I am able to offer an additional dimension to our work together. Hypnotherapy works by guiding you into a deeply relaxed state in which the mind becomes more open to positive change — it can be particularly effective for anxiety, confidence, habits, and processing difficult experiences. For some people it becomes a central part of our work; for others it is one tool among many. There is no pressure to use it, and we would always discuss it together before incorporating it.
I have also undertaken recent training in embodiment — an approach that recognises that our experiences, emotions, and memories are held not just in our minds but in our bodies too. Alongside more traditional talking approaches, I incorporate practical tools including mindfulness, breathing techniques, and guided visualisation. Many people find these grounding and calming, and they are things you can take away and use in your daily life long after our sessions have ended. For those who find it difficult to access their feelings purely through conversation, working in this more embodied way can open up a different and often very powerful route into understanding themselves better.
Working with young people
My interest in working with young people is both professional and deeply personal. As a mother of four, I have had the privilege of observing child and adolescent development up close — watching how young people navigate the world, make sense of their experiences, and grow into themselves. Seeing that journey through the lens of my training has given me an understanding of young people that goes beyond the clinical, and I find working with them genuinely rewarding.
Adolescence and early adulthood can be a particularly challenging time — full of pressure, change, and uncertainty. I offer a space where young people feel genuinely heard rather than advised, and where they can explore what they are going through at their own pace and in their own way.
