Jess Walker Counselling Psychology Bristol

Dr Jess Walker Counselling Psychology

About Dr Jess Walker

Dr Jess Walker (Haskins) is a highly qualified Counselling Psychologist, registered with the Health and Care Professions Council (HCPC) as a Practitioner Psychologist. With over a decade of therapeutic experience, Jess brings compassion, insight, and a wealth of knowledge to her psychological practice.

Working from an integrative, relational perspective, Jess carefully adapts each session to suit the unique needs of every individual. Her approach focuses on building a strong therapeutic relationship, which becomes the foundation for meaningful and lasting change. Her therapeutic style is grounded in empathy, respect, and collaboration, and she works with adults from all walks of life, helping them navigate personal challenges and emotional difficulties.

Services

Dr Jess Walker offers a wide range of therapeutic approaches, drawing from various evidence-based modalities. Her sessions are personalised, supportive, and rooted in psychological expertise.

Therapeutic Approaches

Jess is trained and experienced in multiple approaches to therapy. These include:

• Psychodynamic Psychotherapy – Helps clients explore unconscious processes and past experiences that influence present behaviour.

• Relational Therapy – Focuses on the therapeutic relationship and the dynamics that arise within it to foster insight and change.

• Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT) – Assists clients in recognising and shifting unhelpful thought patterns and behaviours.

• Compassion-Focused Therapy (CFT) – Encourages self-kindness and helps reduce self-criticism, often used with individuals experiencing shame or low self-worth.

• Brief Solution-Focused Therapy – Offers short-term, goal-directed support for clients seeking immediate change or clarity.

• Addictions Therapy – Addresses substance misuse, supporting recovery through understanding and behavioural change.

• Mindfulness – Teaches clients to remain present and aware, helping them manage stress and regulate emotions.

• EMDR (Eye Movement Desensitisation and Reprocessing) – A powerful technique used for processing trauma and disturbing memories.

Jess tailors each session to reflect her clients’ needs, often integrating elements of different models to maximise effectiveness.

Additional Information

Professional Experience

Dr Jess Walker’s background spans across numerous sectors and client groups. She has worked in:

• Forensic Psychology services

• Homelessness and complex needs (Second Step)

• Addiction services for both adults and young people, in both community and residential settings

• NHS IAPT (Improving Access to Psychological Therapies) programmes

• SANEline, a national mental health telephone support service

• Child psychotherapy services in Mexico

• Mentoring for early career researchers

Her work has consistently centred around providing mental health support in a variety of settings, often working with people experiencing significant challenges.

In addition to her therapy practice, Jess is a freelance research consultant, a lecturer in Psychology, and a provider of clinical supervision and training to individuals and organisations. She is passionate about professional development, workplace wellbeing, and equipping others with the tools to support mental health in professional contexts.

A Personal Touch

Outside of her professional work, Jess enjoys wild swimming and is an aspiring writer, finding creative expression and nature as sources of renewal and grounding. These interests reflect her belief in the healing power of connection — to others, to nature, and to oneself.

Therapeutic Values

A key area of interest for Jess is the impact of early attachment on our future relationships. She believes that understanding and repairing these early dynamics can lead to profound emotional growth. Her work often incorporates elements of positive psychology, helping clients overcome despair, shame, and emotional struggle. She encourages clients to develop self-compassion, which she sees as central to long-term healing and personal empowerment.