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Sexual Trauma & Abuse Restorative Therapies

Advice & Support Line
01962 868 688
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The START team are all committed to providing a quality service to all those we see from the office team through to the the highly qualified counsellors many of whom have years of experience in counselling victims and survivors of sexual abuse and sexual trauma. They have all undergone specialist training and continue to update their knowledge and practices, and some have specialist qualifications and are working towards higher counselling qualifications. Many of the team at START are survivors themselves and all our counsellors are registered with the British Association for Counselling and Psychotherapy (BACP) and their qualifications can be viewed through the BACP website or by contacting START office if required

START Manager

Steve

Steve

Steve manages START services. Steve joined START in 2015 having worked for many years in Child Protection and working with Vulnerable Adults.

As a survivor himself he is aware of the issues and the importance of promoting and providing good quality counselling as part of the healing process.

START Clinical Lead

Emma

Emma

Emma joined START in April 2023 and is our Clinical Lead.

She has been counsellor and supervisor for many years both in private practice and in organisations including Hampshire Police, University of Southampton and Victim Support.

START Head of Therapy

Joanne

Joanne

Joanne joined START in January 2025. Joanne’s role is Head of Therapy.

Joanne is an accredited integrative psychotherapist and supervisor with her own private practice.

START Administrators

Rhi

Rhi

Rhi joined START November 2021, she works in Admin at START.

She’s working here while she studies counselling and likes to write fiction in her spare time.

Counselling Team

Andy

Andy

Andy has been with START since 2014 providing specialist counselling for many adult survivors.

Andy is one of our valued male counsellors. Andy previously worked as a counsellor at the local University dealing with student related welfare issues and has a Diploma of Higher Education with Merit in Counselling (2012).

Jim

Jim

Jim is one of the START assessors and supervisors as well as an adult counsellor and volunteers two days a week at START.

Jim has a Diploma in Therapeutic Counselling (2016) and previously worked as a teacher and also ran a walking adventure holidays.

Marion

Marion

Marion joined START in August 2020. She is a qualified humanistic integrative counsellor.

She has worked with Portsmouth Abuse and Rape Counselling Service and has worked extensively with young people.

Nicky

Nicky

Nicky joined START in March 2021, she qualified as a humanistic counsellor in 2014.

She has since provided counselling to young people and adults in a variety of settings.

Nicola

Nicola

Nicola joined START in March 2021.

She has a Foundation Degree in Humanistic Counselling based on Transactional Analysis, as well as a Certificate in Trauma. She has worked in bereavement and addiction.

Janilce

Janilce

Janilce joined START in April 2022, she is a qualified counsellor with experience in supporting individuals with a range of personal or interpersonal problems.

She has a foundation degree in Humanistic Counselling, which focused on working within the Transactional Analysis approach. She actively attends further training to ensure that she continues to improve her counselling skills.

Wajda

Wajda

Wajda rejoined START in April 2022, having previously worked with us as our main service administrator. She is now a qualified counsellor trained in Humanistic Counselling based on Transactional Analysis.

Wajda is a registered member of BACP (MBACP) and works full-time in her private practice based in West London working remotely and face to face. She is a multilingual counsellor and can offer sessions in English, Urdu, or Hindi.

Bev

Bev

Bev joined START in May 2019 and will be working on our new STEPS support programme, she has been working as a rape crisis counsellor for the last three years.

Bev is has a qualified person centred counsellor and has recently attained a 1st Class Honours Degree in Humanistic and Integrative Counselling.

Sharon

Sharon

Sharon joined START in April 2021.

She qualified in Humanistic Integrative Counselling in 2000 and has worked ever since in the area of rape & sexual abuse, initially working for South London RASAC and then more recently for BRASACC.

Harriet

Harriet

Harriet joined start in November 2022 and works with both adults and teenagers.

She is a member of the BACP and has a Foundation Degree in Humanistic Counselling, based around Transactional Analysis as well as Diploma in Counselling Adolescents.

Caroline

Caroline

Caroline joined START in April 2023. She is a BACP registered counsellor with a Foundation Degree in Humanistic Counselling based on Transactional Analysis.

Donna

Donna

Donna joined START in May 2023 and is an experienced and trained trauma counsellor with many years of working in the area of sexual abuse and sexual trauma.

Donna has a BA 1st class Honours Degree in Humanistic & Integrative Counselling (2021) and also provides online therapeutic support.

Ruth

Ruth

Ruth joined START in March 2024, having previously worked for RASAC. She has an MA in Counselling, and BACP accreditation, and over 20 years counselling experience.

Ruth has a private counselling and Supervision practice and she has also worked as a counsellor in both Higher and Further education and with Carers.

Julia

Julia

Julia joined START in April 2024. She has a Diploma in Therapeutic Counselling and she is a Senior Accredited Coach.

Julia has a private counselling and coaching practice and she also works as a Counsellor for a Winchester charity.

Kate

Kate

Kate is one of STARTS newest specialist trauma counsellors and will be working with online clients.

Kate will also be running our online support groups for the pre-counselling programmes via a monthly drop in group for queries and help and via a closed online group over a number of weeks for those who would prefer to work through the pre-counselling programme with others.

Call our Advice & Support Line on 01962 868 688


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