bacp counselling and eco therapy.
moving differently, building resilience —together.
based in cannock chase, staffordshire.
About myCelia
myCelia is a private counselling practice based in Staffordshire, offering a different way into therapeutic work, one that draws on the resilience of nature itself.
The name comes from mycelium: the hidden network of fine fungal threads that runs beneath every forest floor. It's how trees and plants that look separate above ground are actually connected below it, sharing resources and adapting together. It's resilient, constantly growing, and doesn't rely on any single point to hold it together.
I work from a simple belief: real change happens the same way that network grows, quietly, adaptively, and rarely in a straight line. Therapy here isn't about fixing one isolated problem in one isolated conversation. It's about building something similarly connected and resilient: an understanding and a way of coping that holds you long after the session ends.
That's why I offer two ways to work together: remote sessions from wherever suits you, and eco-therapy walks across Cannock Chase, where movement and the natural environment become part of the process itself, not just the backdrop to it. Whichever you choose, the aim is the same, moving differently, building resilience, together.
This way of working tends to suit people who are open-minded, curious, and ready for something a little different from traditional talk therapy, whether you're working through grief, trauma, a big life transition, or a sense of feeling stuck that the usual approach hasn't quite shifted.
Our Approach
I don't believe therapy has to mean sitting across from someone in a small room, working through a problem in isolation. Real change tends to happen the way a fungal network grows beneath a forest floor, quietly, adaptively, connecting things that look separate on the surface.
Therapeutically, that shows up as an integrative way of working, rooted in person-centred theory and a wider humanistic framework, the belief that you're the expert on your own experience, not me. I also draw on other modalities, including attachment theory, where they genuinely serve what's coming up for you. No single model holds everything, in the same way no single thread of mycelium does the work alone, it's the network of approaches, applied flexibly, that makes the whole thing resilient.
Eco-therapy across Cannock Chase is where that idea comes fully alive, movement and the natural world built directly into the work. But the same approach holds just as true behind a screen. Wherever we meet, the aim doesn't change: not just talking something through, but walking it through, grounded, present, and paced to what's actually going on for you, whether that's outdoors or from your own sofa.
I don't come to sessions with all the answers. I'm here as a witness to your process, moving alongside you at a pace that's genuinely yours, building something resilient that holds you well beyond the session itself, in person or online.
Not sure which format's right for you? Plenty of clients start remotely and move into eco-therapy later, or the other way round, there's no wrong door in.
At its core, this is counselling rooted in connection, to yourself, to others, and to a wider community. Whichever way we work, it starts the same way: walking alongside, you.
about me
Hi, I'm Joe, a BACP-registered counsellor working with adults who feel ready for something a little different from traditional talking therapy.
At the root of it, this work is about connection, to yourself, to others, and to a community that holds you steady while you find your way.
My approach is integrative, rooted in person-centred theory and a wider humanistic framework, the belief that you already hold the answers to your own experience, and my role isn't to hand you a diagnosis and a leaflet, but to help you find your own way through. Alongside that person-centred core, I draw on other modalities where they're genuinely useful, mindfulness, somatic approaches, attachment theory, existential therapy, cognitive behavioural, and grief and loss, depending on what's actually coming up for you, whether that's staying present in the moment, what's happening in the body, patterns in relationships, trust, and how safety was (or wasn't) built growing up, facing bigger questions of meaning, purpose, or mortality, unhelpful thought patterns, or making sense of loss. Instead of fitting you into one fixed model, I work alongside you as a witness to your process, moving at your pace.
Much of my work is grounded in the idea that the environment around us shapes how we process what's inside us. Movement, nature, and a change of surroundings can open up space that four walls sometimes can't. That's why eco-therapy sits alongside more traditional remote sessions in what I offer.
Why "myCelia"? Mycelium is the network of fungal threads that spreads beneath forest floors, quietly connecting trees and plants that look entirely separate above ground. It's adaptive, resilient, and never dependent on one single point to keep working. That's the model I bring to this work: building something in you that keeps holding you up long after our sessions end, not just addressing what's in front of us in the moment.
I tend to work well with people who are:
Open-minded and curious about trying something different
Looking for a flexible, adaptable approach rather than a fixed formula
Navigating grief, trauma, big life transitions, or feeling "stuck"
Neurodivergent or highly sensitive people looking for a practice that adapts to them, not the other way around
My practice is neurodivergent-affirming. Eye contact is entirely your choice, small talk is optional, and there's genuine freedom in how you take part in a session, whether that's moving around, stimming, scripting your thoughts out loud, or communicating in writing rather than speech. Sessions are shaped around what actually works for you.
My training and qualifications:
Postgraduate Diploma in Psychotherapeutic Studies
Membership number: 414380
Enhanced DBS checked and registered with the DBS Update Service
Specialisms — Grief and Loss, Eco-therapy.
Why did I start counselling?
I came into this work because I wanted to walk alongside people, not sit across from them and hand out solutions. Grief work in particular is where I feel most drawn, shaped in part by a loss of my own that changed how I understand this work. Bringing nature into therapy isn't incidental for me, it genuinely aligns with how I've made sense of change, loss, and moving forward. That's part of why eco-therapy sits at the heart of what I offer, not just as an add-on to more traditional sessions.
Our Services
Eco-therapy
Eco-Therapy — 50 minutes
A shorter walk across Cannock Chase, for those who want the outdoor format without the full 90 minutes. There's no sofa, no direct eye contact required, and no obligation to fill silences, walking side by side often makes it easier to talk than sitting face-to-face
Duration: 50 minutes
Location: Cannock Chase, based in Armitage, near Rugeley
What to bring: Weather-appropriate clothing and footwear. I'll always confirm the route and any changes in advance.
Good for: A shorter outdoor session, or a way to try eco-therapy before committing to the full 90 minutes
Eco Therapy (Extended)
Eco-Therapy — 90 minutes
A longer walk through Cannock Chase, with room to move at whatever pace the work actually needs. I'm alongside you as a witness, not leading the way, building something resilient, together, one step at a time. Especially useful for grief, trauma, anxiety, or anything that's felt stuck for a while.
Duration: 90 minutes
Location: Cannock Chase, based in Armitage, near Rugeley
What to bring: Weather-appropriate clothing and footwear. Route and any changes confirmed in advance
Good for: Deeper, ongoing work, or when stillness makes it harder to open up
Online & Phone Therapy
Remote Counselling —50 minutes Video or phone sessions from wherever suits you. Camera on or off, whichever helps you feel most able to talk freely, a private, familiar space to work through what's going on, without needing to leave home.
Duration: 50 minutes
Location: Online — video or phone, wherever suits you
What to bring: A quiet, private space and a stable internet connection or phone signal
Good for: Fitting therapy around a busy schedule, or starting somewhere familiar before deciding if eco-therapy feels right for you
Eco-therapy and remote options
Offering eco-therapy across Cannock Chase, Staffordshire, alongside remote sessions for those who prefer to connect from home.
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