Fresh Minds Therapy

13/05/2026

Today I'm working at The Gatehouse in Oxford, a charity that provides support for adults experiencing homelessness.

Mental Health Awareness Week talks a lot about taking action. And I think about that differently on days like today.

Because when someone is sitting with you and everything else has fallen away, housing, safety, stability, the basic scaffolding that most of us take for granted, what does "taking action for your mental health" even mean?

It means something much smaller. And much bigger.
It means someone chose to show up. To say, even without words, that they're still here. Still worth something. Still a person with an inner world that deserves to be witnessed.

That's the action. And it's enormous.
Mental health support isn't equally available to everyone. That's not a personal failing, it's a systems failure.

The Gatehouse Oxford supports adults experiencing homelessness with a warm, non-judgmental space. theoxfordgatehouse.org

12/05/2026

This week is Mental Health Awareness, and this year's theme is Action.

Awareness to Action. It sounds simple but the gap between the two? That is where most people are living.

I've been sitting with that word a lot lately.

I'm currently finishing my MSc in Psychology & Trauma at UCL, which means I spend a lot of time reading research, understanding the mechanisms and learning why people struggle to get support even when they know they need it.

And then I go and sit with my clients. And I see it in the room, in real time.

Awareness is genuinely not the problem. Most people I work with know something isn't quite right. They've often known for years. The gap isn't knowledge. It's the distance between knowing and actually being able to act on it.

That distance is real, and it's not a personal failing. It's shaped by exhaustion, by systems that were not built for the way their minds work, by a lifetime of being told they're too much or not enough.

So this week, if you're sitting in that gap, then you are not behind or alone. You are not failing at your own recovery. You are navigating something genuinely hard.

And if you are ready to take a step, then I'm here.

02/04/2026

Today is World Autism Awareness Day and the start of Autism Acceptance Month.

For many of the women I work with, an autism diagnosis didn't come in childhood. It came in their 30s, 40s, or 50s and often after decades of being told they were too sensitive, too intense, too much.

And for some, a formal diagnosis never comes at all. Self-identifying is valid. Recognising yourself in the experiences of other autistic women is valid. You don't need a piece of paper to know your own mind.

Years of masking. Years of adapting. Years of wondering why everything felt so much harder than it seemed for everyone else.

Acceptance means nothing without understanding. And understanding starts with actually listening to autistic women's experiences, not just in April, but all year.

If you're a late-identified autistic woman, or you're wondering if autism might explain a lot of your life so far, you are not alone, and you are not too late.

28/03/2026

Just a gentle check-in before the Easter holidays kick in, for all the neurodivergent women in perimenopause who are quietly holding everything together.

You don't have to be in crisis to deserve support.
You don't have to have it all figured out before you reach out.
You don't have to earn rest, or help, or space to just be.

I work with women who look completely fine on the outside; capable, competent, still functioning but who are exhausted in a way that sleep doesn't fix.

If you're ready to stop just surviving, I'd love to hear from you. Link in my bio or send me a DM.

27/03/2026

Something a little exciting to share ✨

I've just joined The Cotswilds & Co. a business membership for women in the Cotswolds and I'm genuinely thrilled about it.

So as a quick recap, I'm Jo, a therapeutic counsellor working with neurodivergent women navigating perimenopause, and the founder of Fresh Minds Therapy. It's work I care about deeply, and finding a community of women doing meaningful things of their own feels like a lovely fit.

I'm looking forward to connecting and growing alongside some brilliant people.

If you're a woman running a business in the Cotswolds, go and give a follow!

03/03/2026

Generic advice often assumes a “standard” nervous system...

But when neurodivergence and hormonal transition overlap, capacity can shift in ways that one size fits all strategies don’t always account for.

You’re not broken. You may just need support that understands the interaction between stress, executive function, and hormonal change.

I currently have some availability, to find out more just send a message or head to my website.

16/02/2026

High-achieving ADHD & Autistic women are often the last to realise they're burnt out.

You've spent years masking, compensating, and pushing through.

And now? Perimenopause has entered the chat and the strategies that used to work....don't!

The brain fog feels heavier.
The sensory overwhelm is constant.
The exhaustion isn't fixed by a good night's sleep (if you're even getting one!).

And you're left wondering:
"Is this Perimenopause....or am I finally hitting a wall?"

Here's what I want you to know: You're not broken.

When hormonal shifts meet neurodivergence, burnout doesn't always look like a collapsing. Sometimes it looks like barely functioning whilst still appearing 'fine' to everyone else.

It looks like needing three days to recover from one social event.
It looks like crying over things you didn't use too.
It looks like doubting yourself when nothing externally has changed.

In my therapy room, I support women navigating this exact place, neurodivergence and hormonal transition, so they can understand what's happening in their nervous system and stop blaming themselves.

I currently have availability for new clients. If this resonates, drop me a message or visit my website.

01/02/2026

A gentle note about choosing a counsellor

After hearing some not so great clients stories I felt compelled to write this post.

Counselling in the UK is an unregulated profession, which means anyone can technically call themselves a counsellor. That’s not to say there aren’t many skilled, ethical practitioners out there, there absolutely are, but it does mean it’s important to take a little time to check that the person you have chosen to work with is safe, qualified, and working within clear ethical boundaries.

One way to do this is by finding a counsellor listed on a recognised counselling directory. Directories usually check training, insurance, supervision, and professional registration before allowing therapists to join. It’s not the only way to find a good counsellor, but it can be a helpful starting point.

If you’re curious, you can view my counselling directory profile by clicking on my photo!

And whether you work with me or someone else, you’re always entitled to ask questions about training, experience, supervision, and how a counsellor works. Therapy should feel safe, transparent, and grounded in trust 🩵🫂✨️

I support women through perimenopause, hormonal shifts, shame, and late-diagnosed neurodivergence, creating a warm, neuro-affirming, trauma-aware space to process overwhelm, ease burnout, and rediscover steadier ground.

13/01/2026

It was really lovely to be out in the community with my colleague Kelly from KJC Counselling meeting the residents, staff and families at Glebefields Care Home.

The conversations and questions were thoughtful, open and genuinely moving, we’re really looking forward to going back.

As counsellors in our own private practices, the work can be deeply rewarding but sometimes quite solitary, so being able to connect in this way and share space together felt really special. It was a privilege to talk about the support we offer and to remind people that mental health matters at every stage of life.

05/01/2026

Happy New Year!!