Jack English Counselling

13/03/2026

Some days life just feels too much.

Stress.
Pressure.
Overthinking.
Everything building up at once.

You don’t have to deal with it alone.

Talking to someone who listens without judgement can make a real difference.

If you feel like you need to talk, I offer online counselling sessions you can access from wherever you feel most comfortable.

— Jack

11/03/2026

“The curious paradox is that when I accept myself just as I am, then I can change.”
— Carl Rogers

Change doesn’t start with forcing ourselves to be different.
It often begins with understanding and accepting where we are right now.

09/03/2026

Are you bothering with Mothering Sunday this year?

For some people it’s a lovely day.
Cards, flowers, meals out and time with family.

But for others it can be a very different experience.

Not everyone has a mum they can celebrate.
Some have lost their mother.
Some never had the relationship they needed.
And some were abandoned or let down by the person who was supposed to care for them.

Days like Mothering Sunday can be hard when the world seems to assume everyone has the same happy story.

The adverts, the social media posts, the constant reminders on TV and the radio — it can feel like the “perfect family” message is being pushed everywhere.

But life isn’t perfect.
And families certainly aren’t either.

If Mothering Sunday is something you celebrate, that’s great.

But if it’s a day you quietly get through, avoid altogether, or feel mixed emotions about — you’re not alone.

Not everyone’s story looks the same, and that’s okay.

04/03/2026

Online counselling works. Simple as that.

You don’t have to sit in a waiting room.
You don’t have to drive across town.
You don’t even have to leave your house.

All you need is a quiet space, an internet connection, and the willingness to talk.

People often assume therapy has to happen in an office to be effective. It doesn’t.

Some of the most powerful conversations I’ve had with clients have been online — people speaking openly from their own space, where they feel comfortable and safe.

If life feels heavy, confusing, or overwhelming right now, talking to someone who listens without judgement can make a real difference.

One conversation can be the start of change.

— Jack

03/03/2026

The sun’s out.
And whether we like it or not… weather affects us.

Lighter mornings.
Brighter skies.
A bit more energy in the tank.

It doesn’t fix everything.
But it can shift something.

If you’re feeling a little better today — use it.
Get outside. Move your body. Walk the dog. Sit on a bench. Breathe.

And if you’re not feeling better?
That’s okay too. Just step outside for five minutes. Let the light hit your face.

Small steps.
They count.

27/02/2026

It’s Friday.

Whatever this week has been for you — productive, heavy, stressful, steady — you’ve got through it.

That counts.

I’m out in the countryside at dinner time, walking the dog, clearing my head before the weekend.

You don’t need big plans.
You don’t need to “make the most of it.”
You don’t need to be smashing goals 24/7.

Rest.
Reset.
Breathe.

Whatever you’re doing this weekend, I hope it gives you what you need.

20/02/2026

Most people think strength is pushing through.

Keep going.
Keep working.
Keep providing.
Keep holding it together.

But real strength?

It’s stopping long enough to look at where you’re actually heading.

This was me this morning.
Cold air. Quiet lane. No noise.

Just space to think.

We don’t often give ourselves that.
We wait until we’re burnt out, angry, numb, or snapping at the people closest to us.

You don’t need to be in crisis to pause.

Sometimes the most productive thing you can do
is step off the road for a minute
and ask yourself:

“Am I even going in the direction I want?”

No drama.
No meltdown.
Just honesty.

19/02/2026

More and more clients are telling me they’re using ChatGPT or Google as a form of therapy.

And I get it.

It’s instant.
It’s available at 2am.
It doesn’t judge.

But here’s the uncomfortable truth:

Information isn’t therapy.
Insight isn’t healing.
And conversation isn’t relationship.

AI can offer responses.
Google can offer answers.

But neither can sit with you.
Neither can hold emotional space.
Neither can notice what you’re not saying.
Neither can repair a rupture.
Neither can build trust over time.

Therapy isn’t about getting the right answer.

It’s about experiencing something different in relationship.

That’s where change happens.

I’ve written an in-depth article exploring this properly:

Why ChatGPT (and Google) Will Never Replace the Counsellor–Client Relationship

If you’re curious about where AI fits — and where it doesn’t — it’s worth a read.

Real Connection vs Artificial ResponseIn an age of instant answers, what still makes therapy deeply human?Over the past year, more clients have started saying something interesting in sessions:“I’ve been talking to ChatGPT about this.”“I Googled my symptoms and…”“I asked AI what it thi...

27/01/2026

“Jack offers me a really safe place to talk and open up.
He offers a really good balance between empathy and challenging me when I get locked into those thought spirals.”

This is the work.
A space that feels safe and honest.
Supportive without colluding.
Empathy with challenge when it’s needed.

Therapy isn’t about being comfortable all the time.
It’s about being supported while you do the hard thinking that leads to real change.

Grateful to the client who shared this after two months of work around self-esteem, career challenges, life changes, and coaching.

One step at a time still counts.

06/01/2026

Most people get stuck not because they make the wrong decision —
but because they make no decision at all.

The truth is, you rarely know for certain what the “right” choice is at the time. Life doesn’t come with guarantees, clarity, or a preview of how things will turn out.

What does matter is this:
make a decision — then commit to making it work.

If it turns out not to be right, you don’t beat yourself up.
You adjust.
You tweak.
You pivot.
You learn.

Indecision keeps you frozen.
Action creates movement.
Movement creates clarity.

You don’t have to make the right decision.
You just have to make the decision right.

One step at a time.

05/01/2026

Today’s the first proper working day of the year.

For some people, that feels motivating.
For others, it feels heavy.

You don’t need to reinvent yourself today.
You don’t need a full plan for the year.

All you need to do is show up… and take one step.

Momentum comes from movement — not pressure.

One step is enough for today.

24/12/2025

Hope you have a happy Xmas, whatever your doing 🎄