“Helping survivors of trauma and abuse reconnect with themselves”

I’m Joanna Johnson-Laird, an integrative and trauma-informed counsellor based in Totnes and Paignton, offering in-person and online counselling across Devon and the UK.

At Support 4 You Counselling, I help people work through trauma, abuse, emotional overwhelm, and other life difficulties that can leave them feeling stuck or disconnected. Using an integrative approach that blends Gestalt therapy, inner child work, and nervous-system regulation, I support clients in finding safety, balance, and renewed self-awareness.”

I know how hard it can be to reach out for support — especially if you’ve been hurt, silenced, or made to feel like your needs don’t matter. That’s why I’ve made it my mission to offer the kind of counselling space I believe everyone deserves: calm, safe, and deeply respectful.

Many of the people I work with have lived through emotional or physical abuse, toxic relationships, childhood trauma, or years of just trying to “hold it together.” They often feel anxious, numb, disconnected, or exhausted like they’re surviving, not living.

I’m here to help change that.

What You Can Expect from Me

I won’t judge or rush you.

I’ll meet you with empathy, honesty, and calm.

I’ll support you in making sense of your experience — and help you reconnect with the parts of you that were never broken, just hurt.

You don’t have to go through this alone anymore. Together, we can begin to gently shift from surviving to healing.

At the moment I only work doing individual counselling and am not yet working with children.

About Support 4 You Counselling

You’ve been through more than you often let on.

Whether it’s trauma from the past, emotional abuse in a relationship, or simply years of coping in survival mode — you’re tired. Maybe anxious, overwhelmed, or just numb.

You don’t have to carry it all alone.

I offer a safe, supportive space to explore what’s happened — and how it’s still affecting you today. We’ll work together gently, with compassion and care, to help you feel more grounded, more whole, and more you again.

Who I Can Support

Im happy to work with whatever you bring into session. Most of my experience is working with those that have experienced emotional, physical, or sexual abuse.

Coercive or controlling relationships, childhood trauma, neglect, or abandonment

Chronic shame, self-doubt, or people-pleasing patterns

You don’t have to have all the answers — or even know where to start. Just bring yourself, and we’ll take it from there.

How I work

My approach is warm, relational, and trauma-informed. We work together at a pace that feels safe for you — with no pressure to explain everything all at once.

I draw on:

Gestalt therapy, which supports self-awareness and expression

Inner child and chairwork, to explore parts of yourself that need care and voice

Nervous system regulation, to help you feel more at home in your body

Creative tools and imagery, especially helpful when words are hard to find

Above all, I work at your pace. There is no pressure to share anything you’re not ready to. Your story, your healing, your timing. I aim to create a calm, grounded space where you feel genuinely supported.

What to Expect

A calm, confidential space (online or in-person in Totnes or Paignton)

A warm, non-clinical approach

Respect for your boundaries and your timing

Gentle support through difficult memories, feelings, or relationship patterns

Guidance toward feeling safer, more present, and more in control of your life

Ready to Talk?

It’s okay if you’re nervous.

I offer a free 20-minute intro call so you can see if I’m the right fit. There’s no pressure — just a gentle first step.

I believe that each person is unique, and it is important that we work together to find what resonates most with you. My goal is to listen carefully, to provide you with the encouragement and understanding that you deserve. Ensuring that you are supported, and empowered. Helping you to gain deeper insights into yourself, to heal and move forward at your own pace.

Qualifications

MNCPS (Acc)
Level 3 Diploma in Counselling
FDSC Counselling and Psychology
CPD Trauma informed training
Howden insurance