Counselling JCT
Online Counselling & Therapy – Serving Cumbria, Manchester, Lancashire & the North West
Online counselling for women navigating grief, loss and the experiences that shape them
You may understand a great deal about yourself and your experiences, yet still find yourself reacting in familiar ways, struggling with a relationship or feeling affected by something you thought you had worked through.
Understanding something intellectually doesn’t always mean its effects have gone.
I'm Jackie Connaughton, a BACP registered counsellor with more than 25 years' experience, offering online counselling to women throughout the UK.
My work explores how earlier experiences, relationships and loss shape the way we see ourselves and experience life today.
The Story Beneath™
Understanding what has shaped you, so you can see yourself differently
We know the story we can see.
What happened. What we did. What we survived. What we became.
But there is often more to understand beneath the surface: the beliefs we learned, the roles we took on, and the ways we learned to cope, protect ourselves and belong.
These influences can follow us into adulthood, affecting our relationships, our responses to life and the way we see ourselves.
Every woman makes sense in the context of her life.
The Story Beneath™ is the philosophy behind my counselling work. It explores the connections between what has happened to us, how we experience life now, and what may become possible when those connections begin to make sense.
This isn't about blaming the past or reducing everything to what has happened before. It is about understanding ourselves more fully, with greater clarity and less self-criticism.
Counselling
When grief, loss or earlier experiences continue to affect your life
Counselling offers a space to explore what is happening now, understand what may sit beneath it, and begin to make sense of experiences that have been difficult to understand on your own.
You might come to counselling because:
- Grief or bereavement has changed your identity, relationships or sense of the future.
- Earlier experiences continue to affect how you feel about yourself, what you expect from others or how you respond to life.
- Relationships leave you questioning yourself, putting others first or struggling to express what you need.
- A major life change, such as separation, menopause or children leaving home, has left you wondering what comes next.
- Anxiety or emotional overwhelm has become harder to manage.
- A sense of loss has emerged around the life you expected, the belonging you hoped for or the person you thought you would become.
You don't need to arrive with a clear explanation. You may know something isn't right without knowing why. We can explore what is happening in your life, what came before, and how the two may connect.
Some patterns also pass through generations, in ways that are hard to see from within a family. Exploring these connections can help us understand how family experiences and relationships continue to influence the present.
Why loss sits at the heart of my work
I see loss running through almost everything that brings women to counselling. It starts earlier than we realise, and as life goes on, the losses grow larger and land harder.
Loss isn't only about bereavement. It can include the childhood we needed but didn't have, the relationship we hoped would be different, the belonging we struggled to find, and the future we thought we would have.
Some losses are recognised and openly grieved. Others are harder to name. We adapt, carry on and find ways to cope, often without recognising how much an experience has shaped us.
Earlier losses can influence how we experience later ones. A bereavement, separation or major life change can bring older feelings to the surface, helping explain why a particular loss affects us so deeply.
When grief changes more than you expected
Around nine to twelve months after a bereavement, something often shifts. The practical tasks are done. Other people assume you're moving forward. The first anniversary is approaching, and the reality of the loss can feel different.
The questions deepen. Who am I now? What did this person mean to me? How do I live in a world that has changed shape?
Grief can reach into identity, relationships and our sense of the future. You don't have to be in the earliest stages of bereavement to seek counselling. For many women, this later period brings space to explore what the loss means and how to live with what has changed.
How I work
My approach is integrative and relational, grounded in person-centred principles and informed by attachment, trauma, grief and an understanding of how our experiences affect both mind and body.
I won't tell you what your experiences mean or push you to revisit difficult memories before you're ready. We work with what matters to you, at a pace that feels manageable.
Counselling cannot change what has happened. It can help you recognise familiar patterns sooner, understand your reactions and develop more choice in how you respond. It can also help you relate to yourself with understanding rather than criticism.
I offer online counselling exclusively for women throughout the UK.
Sessions last 60 minutes and cost £75. Your first step is a free 20-minute introductory conversation.My approach is trauma-informed and relational.
I draw on nervous system awareness, Polyvagal Theory and somatic approaches to understand how our experiences can influence the way we think, feel, relate and respond.
There is no formula for this work.
Your story is your own, and our work is shaped around you,at a pace that feels manageable and without pressure to go further than you are ready for.
Unthread™
For the things women carry that were never fully named.For the things women carry that were never fully named
Some of what shapes us is difficult to put into words. Beliefs we inherited. Roles we took on. Expectations we absorbed. Parts of ourselves we lost touch with while meeting the needs of others.
Unthread™ offers a different way to explore these experiences through conversation, creativity, symbolic exercises and reflection.
It creates space to consider what you carry, where it may have come from, what belongs to you and what you want to take forward.
Unthread™ is separate from counselling. It is not therapy, and there is no expectation to disclose personal experiences or work towards a therapeutic outcome.
It is an invitation to explore your story in a different way.
Meet Jackie
I'm Jackie Connaughton, a BACP registered counsellor based in Cumbria, working online with women throughout the UK.
Over more than 25 years, I've become increasingly interested in the connections that are not always immediately obvious: how earlier experiences influence the present, how loss can affect our sense of identity, and why we sometimes respond to life in ways we struggle to understand.
I hold a Diploma in Counselling and a Certificate in Counselling with Distinction from the University of Salford.
I have also completed the BTC™ Generational Trauma Therapy Certificate Course with Dr Mariel Buqué.
My continuing professional development includes attachment, trauma-informed practice, grief and bereavement, somatic approaches and nervous system regulation.
My work is guided by a belief that understanding our experiences in context can change how we see ourselves and what becomes possible in our lives.A counsellor who believes that when things begin to make sense, something can change.
Begin With a Conversation
You don't need to have everything figured out.
You may know what has brought you here. Or you may simply know that something needs attention.
A free 20-minute introductory conversation gives us an opportunity to talk about what is happening, what you hope to explore and whether working together feels right.
There is no obligation to continue. You don't need to prepare a detailed account of your life or know exactly what to say.
Online counselling for women throughout the UK. £75 per 60-minute session.
"Every life deserves to make sense to the person living it."
Jackie Connaughton
Frequently Asked Questions
Where do you offer counselling?
I offer online counselling for women throughout the UK.
Although I am based in Cumbria, online counselling allows me to work with women wherever they are.
How does online counselling work?
Sessions take place online using a secure video platform.
Many women are surprised by how connected and comfortable online counselling can feel.
Being able to access counselling from your own home can create a sense of privacy and ease, while still allowing us to build a meaningful therapeutic relationship.
Online counselling can also make it easier to access ongoing support without the need to travel.
How often will we meet?
Sessions are usually weekly or fortnightly, depending on what feels most supportive for you.
Some women come for a shorter period during a particular challenge or transition. Others choose longer-term counselling to explore their experiences in greater depth.
Together, we find the pace that feels right for you.
How much does counselling cost?
£75 | 60-minute counselling session
All counselling sessions are 60 minutes and cost £75.
Before beginning counselling, I offer a free 20-minute introductory conversation so that we can talk about what has brought you here and whether working together feels like the right fit.
There is no obligation to continue.
What issues can counselling help with?
Women come to counselling for many different reasons, including:
- Anxiety and persistent worry
- Grief, bereavement and loss
- Trauma and complex trauma
- Relationship difficulties
- Childhood experiences that continue to affect adult life
- Feeling overwhelmed or emotionally depleted
- Life transitions and changing identity
- Low confidence and self-worth
- Feeling disconnected from yourself
You don't need to have a specific diagnosis or a single reason for seeking support.
Sometimes knowing that something no longer feels right is enough of a reason to begin.
Do I need to talk about difficult experiences straight away?
No.
Counselling is not about forcing yourself to revisit things before you are ready.
Together we create a space where experiences can be explored when and how they feel appropriate.
You are never expected to tell me more than you feel ready to share.No.
Is it too late for counselling if my loss was a while ago?
No. There is no deadline for exploring a bereavement. Sometimes, the months around the first anniversary bring a different awareness of what has changed and what the loss means for your life now. You may have managed the practical demands and continued to meet your responsibilities, yet still find yourself struggling with your identity, relationships or sense of the future. Counselling can offer space to explore these experiences whenever you feel ready.
Is counselling the same as Unthread™?
No.
They are connected through The Story Beneath™ philosophy, but they are different offerings.
Unthread™ is a reflective experience for women who want to explore their stories, beliefs, experiences, identity and the things they carry, and consider what they want to carry forward.
It is not therapy and does not replace counselling.
If you are unsure which feels more appropriate for you, you are welcome to ask about this during your introductory conversation.
Begin with a conversation
You don't have to have everything figured out before you get in touch.
Sometimes the first step is simply talking to someone who understands that there may be more to your story than what can be seen on the surface.
Book your free 20 min conversation →
Contact Jackie
Email: jackie@counsellingjct.co.uk
Phone: 07432 373270
You can also leave a message using the contact form below.
All enquiries are answered within 24 hours and handled in confidence.
Find Me Online
Counselling JCT | Online Counselling for Women Across the UK
Helping women understand what has shaped them, make sense of where they are now, and consider what comes next.
Important Information
The Unthread programme is designed to offer space for personal reflection, insight, and growth. It is not a form of therapy or counselling and is not a substitute for professional support.
If you feel you need therapeutic care, we encourage you to reach out to a qualified counsellor or therapist.
While every effort is made to create a safe and supportive environment, participating in Unthread is at your own discretion, and you engage in the activities with awareness of your own wellbeing.