About me

A warm welcome!

Hello, my name is Jane, and I am a BACP registered counsellor with over ten years of professional experience in this field. After gaining significant and valuable knowledge, over a number of years at Chichester Counselling Services, I made the decision to go into private practice.

I offer individual counselling for adults aged 18 and over, which is available in both time-limited or open-ended therapy. I work online via secure video conferencing, UK-wide.

Since the pandemic, I have moved from seeing clients face-to-face to working remotely because I believe working from home and using video conferencing is the way of the future – technology offers more freedom and flexibility.

It can be hard to find time of our own, but self-care and a healthy relationship with ourselves is essential and can help restore balance and resilience. I would like counselling to be accessible to everyone, regardless of their situation, what they do or where they live.

Jane Finlay, BACP registered counsellor

Counselling with Jane

I am a Psychotherapeutic Counsellor with experience in supporting what clients need and want from their lives. I help people through the counselling process guided by a psychodynamic model, which is enhanced by an integrative approach to therapy. Additionally, I integrate somatic EMDR interventions to enrich the support and promote emotional well-being. This understanding recognises and adapts to individual needs and circumstances. By working in this way, the therapeutic relationship offers a secure base on which the client's self-awareness can evolve.

Who we are is influenced by our experiences, relationships, and the environment in which we grew up. Gaining more insight and awareness can help us see this more clearly. These factors have an impact on the adults we become and how we connect and interact with people in relationships at home, at work, and with family.

Self-awareness is a crucial seed for individual growth; you cannot change what you are not aware of. As I get to know you, it is in and through this process that you can reconnect with who you are, how you relate to others, and how you connect with yourself.

Having said that, the path to self-awareness can be unsettling, and the therapeutic relationship can take us outside of our comfort zones, which can be both challenging and extraordinarily rewarding – it is best not to expect it to be straightforward and pain-free. Exploring and challenging your thoughts, feelings, and behaviour is an important part of our work together.

It is completely natural to want to avoid certain emotions, as they can feel painful and/or overwhelming at times. However, finding the courage to face these feelings, even when they pose challenges, may ultimately pave the way for healing. As you take the time to reconnect with yourself and become more aware of who you are, you may discover that your self-belief grows, enabling those emotions to flow more freely.

We are all adaptive, so working through emotions and limiting beliefs to search for solutions within you can lead to new pathways forward. Cultivating self-compassion can increase inner strength and resilience. In my experience, gaining self-awareness is the key to opening the door to self-discovery and new possibilities.

Do you wish to have a different perspective on your life? But don’t know how to get there or what to do?

Psychodynamic counselling can help you reach a deeper level of awareness to find your own answers. It can put you in a better position to deal with choices and decisions more effectively. These changes can help you live a more fulfilling life and improve the quality of your relationships.

Recognising what you value opens up the possibility of creating the life you want, need, and deserve. There is an element of trust in this process that can be transformative in terms of what can happen in the space between two people and the outcome of this work together.

“We are born in relationship, we are wounded in relationship, and we can be healed in relationship.” Harville Hendrix 

 
 
 
 
 
 
 

I want to personally thank my lifelong friend and talented artist, Suzi Allen, for creating the beautiful artwork for this website. I also want to give thanks to her daughter, Sophie, for creating the elegant logo. Thank you both xx

My Qualifications

Certificate in Somatic EMDR Therapy with Dr. Bessel Van Der Kolk, Dr. Arielle Schwartz, Kai Cheng Thom, Karee Powers, Sergio Ocampo & Dr. Scott Lyons / The Embody Lab (2025)

Safeguarding Awareness training plus working with Suicidality and Safety planning / The Bowlby Centre (2023)

Certificate in Compassionate Inquiry with Dr. Gabor Maté / Compassionate Inquiry (2023) 

Certificate in Online and Telephone Counselling / Counselling Tutor (2021)

Diploma in Psychotherapeutic Counselling (Psychodynamic) / Chichester Counselling (2014) BACP Accredited Course

Certificate in Psychodynamic Counselling Theory and Skills / Chichester Counselling (2011)

British Association for Counselling and Psychotherapy (BACP)

I am a Registered Member of the British Association for Counselling and Psychotherapy (Registration number: 110860) and abide by their Ethical Framework and Supplementary Guidance for Working Online. Details are available on the BACP website: https://www.bacp.co.uk/events-and-resources/ethics-and-standards/ethical-framework-for-the-counselling-professions. If you have any complaint or issue during our sessions, please do raise it with me and we can try and resolve it. If we cannot resolve it, then you may contact BACP, who will address your concern through their complaints procedure.

I have professional liability insurance to cover my work with Towergate. I am registered with the ICO, Information Commissioner’s Office: https://www.ico.org.uk. I receive regular clinical supervision in which my work with clients is overseen in line with the BACP code of ethics.

Continuing Professional Development (CPD)

Over the years, I have had the privilege of supporting a wide range of individuals on their journey towards better mental health and well-being through a dedicated service committed to making a positive difference. I am continually researching new methods to make a difference by acquiring new skills and techniques that can be adapted to each client's individual circumstances and needs.

My commitment to ongoing professional development allows me to explore new approaches and counselling practices.This ongoing learning helps me adapt more effectively and deepen my understanding of the changing needs and challenges that people face in our constantly evolving world.

 “Much of what we call personality is not a fixed set of traits, only coping mechanisms a person acquired in childhood.” Gabor Maté