Hello there! and a very warm welcome from Therapy Equals

I’m Jo Dix-Baker; a qualified and experienced psychotherapist based in Cheshire. Before becoming a therapist I worked in education for several years. Swapping the exams office for the counselling room, I naturally gravitated to counselling students when I first qualified. It’s important to me to hear young voices, to validate their experiences and to help to navigate them through challenging emotions in their formative adolescent years.

Given that couple therapy often highlights the importance of childhood experience, I believe it is inevitable that childhood adaptations go on to make an appearance in adult relationships. For this reason, I continue to engage with students weekly and feel working with young people gives me a valuable perspective that enhances my practice with adults and couples.

I walk with you… and together we explore your best way forwards

Clients tell me I am warm and approachable, deeply empathic and above all, non-judgemental. My person-centred approach places you – the individual, at the centre of our sessions. I hold a safe place for you to speak freely and openly about any areas of your life causing you distress, confusion or frustration.

Person-centred therapy is at the heart of everything I do but I also offer a range of more directive therapies if we agree that another approach is more suited to you. Passionate about transforming negative patterns of behaviour, I use acceptance and commitment techniques to bring you closer to your personal values and towards living a values based life. Alongside ACT and Imago, I use psychosexual therapy to work through the biological, psychological and social aspects of sex and relationships.

I am that person who looks for heart shaped pebbles on the beach!

My interest in love and romantic relationships inspired my journey towards relationship therapy and working predominantly with couples.  I can trace this passion back to my university days, when I was awarded a starred 1st for research I elected to do on romantic love 💕

All unique, with our own set of circumstances that have brought us to where we are today, we each respond differently to the challenges and opportunities life brings. When individuals form relationships with each other, I believe personal growth can happen. In a thriving relationship, partners gift one another the means to reach their individual potential. Both become the best version of themselves while in connection with each other. To this end, I am committed to making connections with you on a psychological and emotional level; establishing safety, building trust and encouraging growth.

Let’s connect…

I bring to clients my absolute sincerity, a whole bunch of enthusiasm and an appropriate sense of fun. Clients say they’re comfortable around me, they enjoy my informal style and feel they can easily connect with me.

Being in ‘connection’ is my favourite place to be. When I’m not outdoors walking in nature, I connect with nature indoors by cultivating houseplants. Finding joy in providing the necessary care and conditions that encourage plants to thrive; I approach my work with clients in a similar way.

Positioned firmly in your corner, I am rooting for you, willing you to succeed in the ways you desire to. With kindness and curiosity, I aim to support you to move to a better place in your life – whatever that is for you.

Individuals

There are many reasons for an individual to seek out a counselling professional, quite often clients come to therapy because they are living in a state of incongruence. The discrepancy between their true self (inner feelings) and pseudo self (outer expression) causes them discomfort and creates a deep-rooted sense of unhappiness.

Another common motivator to seeking help, is a feeling of stuckness; perhaps experiencing difficulty accepting or changing an idea, a behaviour, a situation or oneself.

Individuals often want help to re-gain a sense of who they are, feeling they have lost their identity in relationship. Whether it be a romantic, sexual, family, friendship or work relationship; we explore your needs, set achievable goals and actively take steps towards finding you.

Couples

All too often, couples find themselves in conflict, each partner fighting to get their needs met and failing. Communication becomes too difficult as partners express their anger and pain in attacking and defensive exchanges.

I work openly and sensitively to get couples back into connection with each other. I believe, when couples are truly connected in mind, body and spirit, they naturally gift each other the opportunity to grow as individuals. Their very union becomes the means by which they can reach their potential.

I am committed to exploring with couples, any aspect of relationship causing distress and together finding the most suitable approach enabling the couple to move forwards.

Person Centred

Imago

Psychosexual

ACT

Online

Therapy is conducted online via Zoom. This offers great flexibility as sessions can easily be scheduled to fit around your busy work and family life commitments.

You need to ensure you will have privacy for the session to avoid being overheard, disturbed or distracted. A reliable internet connection is essential too as it’s important for us to see and hear each other clearly in order for us to do effective work together.

In Person

Meet me at my therapy room for face-to-face sessions: 2 Progress House ~ 172 Southworth Road ~ Newton-le-Willows ~ WA12 0BS

Progress House is 0.6 miles away from Newton-le-Willows train station (approx 12 mins walk or 2 mins by car) with regular buses running between the station and bus stop outside the building. It is 5 mins from junction 23 on the M6, 2 mins from the A580 (East Lancs Rd) and very close to the M62. There is car parking available at the front.

Room 2 is situated on the first floor of the building, overlooking fields.