Jo’s Blog
How to make decisions that feel right for you: Using your values as a guide
Struggling to know what you really want? Learn how your values can guide decisions when anxiety, expectations and uncertainty make it difficult to hear your own voice.
Learning to trust yourself again
Many of us have learnt to trust other people’s opinions more than our own thoughts, feelings and experiences. This article explores how self-trust can become weakened, why anxiety keeps us searching for certainty, and how we can begin developing greater confidence in ourselves, including trusting our future selves to respond to situations we cannot solve in advance.
What if I’m the problem?
Do you find yourself assuming you’ve done something wrong whenever a relationship feels uncertain? This article explores why some of us are so quick to blame ourselves, how anxiety and a fragile sense of self can keep that pattern alive, and why making a mistake is very different from believing that you are the problem.
When your mind wants certainty
When we're anxious, guilty or uncertain, it's easy to assume our feelings must be telling us something important. But what if they're simply part of being human? Explore how psychological flexibility can help you separate facts from assumptions, make room for difficult emotions and move forward without needing absolute certainty.
The changes you can’t always see in therapy
Some of the biggest changes in therapy don't happen all at once, and they aren't always easy to recognise. This article explores why progress can feel gradual, the subtle signs that therapy is working, and how small shifts in awareness can lead to lasting change.
Why therapy isn’t ‘just talking’
It's easy to wonder how talking to someone for an hour each week could lead to lasting change. This article explores what makes therapy different from everyday conversations and why the process is far more than "just talking".
What actually happens in your first therapy session?
Starting therapy can feel like a big step, especially when you don't know what to expect. In this blog, I'll walk you through what typically happens in a first therapy session, helping to answer some of the most common questions and hopefully making those first steps feel a little less daunting.
Thinking about therapy? Here's what you can expect
If you've ever wondered whether therapy might help but questioned whether you 'need' it, you're not alone. This blog explores some of the most common misconceptions about therapy and explains why it isn't about being broken, it's about understanding yourself more deeply.
Why are you so hard on yourself? Understanding the inner critic
Why are we often so much harder on ourselves than we are on others? Explore where the inner critic comes from, why it feels so powerful, and how it influences anxiety, people-pleasing, self-worth, boundaries, and identity.
Who are you when you’re not being productive?
What happens to your sense of self when you’re not being productive, useful, or “on top of things”? This blog explores the uncomfortable link between self-worth and achievement, and why slowing down can bring up guilt, anxiety, and self-doubt. If your value has become tied to what you do, this is a gentle invitation to consider who you are underneath the performance.
When your self-worth depends on other people’s reactions
Many people who struggle with people-pleasing unknowingly base their sense of self on how others react to them. Praise can feel reassuring, while criticism can quickly turn into self-doubt.
In this blog, I explore why people-pleasers often look outside themselves for validation, how comparison and feedback can shape self-worth, and how we can begin to reconnect with our own internal voice.
Breaking the stigma: Therapy isn’t what you think it is
Therapy isn’t just for people in crisis. In this blog, Jo Dampier, an integrative psychotherapist, explores what therapy really is - a collaborative, human space for understanding yourself, making sense of your emotions, and learning new ways to live, relate, and grow.
Men Over 50: It’s never too late to heal
Midlife can stir deep change for men. Discover how to heal emotional wounds, redefine strength, and rebuild self-worth, at any age.
The Fear of Being Seen: When authenticity feels too exposing
We all want to feel seen, yet sometimes, that’s what scares us the most. Authenticity can feel exposing when you’ve spent years hiding parts of yourself to stay safe. But learning to show up as you are, even in small ways, is how self-trust begins to grow.
Learning to Tolerate Difficult Emotions
Emotional tolerance helps us stay present with difficult feelings instead of suppressing or avoiding them. Learn why it’s hard to tolerate emotions, common misconceptions, and gentle steps to build emotional resilience.