Jay Lawrence
Please Note I am away on annual leave from Monday 10th August to Friday 21st August.
Please Note I am away on annual leave from
Monday 10th August to Friday 21st August.
Hello, I'm Jay.
If you're reading this, there's a good chance life has become difficult in some way. Perhaps you've been carrying things for a long time, feeling overwhelmed, anxious, disconnected, or simply exhausted by trying to hold everything together.
Before I tell you about my qualifications or how I work, I'd like to tell you a little about the person behind the therapist
I was born and raised in Dartford, Kent, and grew up on a council estate in a single-parent family after my parents separated. Like many people, my childhood brought love, laughter and strong family bonds, but it also brought challenges.
We often had very little, and I experienced difficulties that shaped how I saw myself and the world around me. Looking back now, I can recognise how those early experiences influenced my confidence, my relationships and the ways I learned to cope. At the time, I couldn't have explained it like that. I simply thought I had to keep going.
For many years, I found purpose through martial arts. I earned my black belts, taught self-defence, opened martial arts gyms, managed security teams and spent much of my life helping other people grow in confidence. Without fully realising it, I was already drawn to supporting people, listening to their stories and creating places where they felt accepted and encouraged.
My wife and I built a wonderful community through our gyms. They became far more than places to train—they became places where people supported one another through life's highs and lows.
Looking back, those years taught me just as much about people as they did about discipline and resilience.
The Turning Point
Like many people, however, there came a point where life caught up with me. In my mid-thirties I experienced depression and found myself questioning who I was and where my life was heading. It was one of the most difficult periods of my life, but it also became a turning point. Rather than continuing to struggle alone, I chose a different path. I returned to education as an adult and began training as a counsellor.
What started as a search for understanding became a profound journey of personal growth. Over the following years I found myself exploring my own experiences with honesty, compassion and curiosity. I came to understand that many of the ways I had learned to survive made perfect sense in the context of my life.
That experience fundamentally changed how I see people. I don't believe people are broken. I believe we adapt. Our minds and bodies do remarkable things to help us survive difficult experiences. Sometimes those adaptations continue long after the danger has passed, leaving us feeling anxious, disconnected, stuck or constantly on edge.
Today, that understanding sits at the heart of my work.
As a trauma-informed counsellor, psychotherapist and somatic therapist, I work with people who may be living with the effects of childhood trauma, anxiety, chronic stress, relationship difficulties, neurodivergence and emotional overwhelm.
My approach is grounded in genuine human connection. I don't believe therapy is about giving advice or telling people how they should live their lives. Instead, I aim to create a space where you can feel safe enough to explore your experiences without fear of judgement. Together, we can begin to understand what your mind and body have been trying to protect you from and gently work towards healing at a pace that feels right for you.
Every person who walks through my door brings a unique story. It is a privilege to hear those stories. If you choose to work with me, I won't expect you to have the right words or all the answers. You don't need to have everything figured out before you begin. You simply need somewhere to start.
Thank you for taking the time to get to know a little about me.
Whenever you're ready, I'd be honoured to hear your story too.
Jay