Hello!

My name is Julie Barfoot (as you have probably guessed!).  I have worked in the NHS as a cognitive behavioural therapist and occupational therapist from 2000 until 2020, when I decided to become fully self employed. I have worked in a number of clinical areas including adult mental health, older persons services, primary care services, equality & diversity, secondary care affective and psychosis community mental health teams and psychiatric acute services.

When I was 18 years old, I became pregnant and people told me my life was over and that I had made a mistake!  I didn't listen and managed to make a home for my son and myself.  I started to do jobs that I could do within the times that he was at school, this included making sandwiches, calling bingo and working in an amusement arcade.  It was always my intention to do further study but I had to wait until the right time in my life and this happened when I got married and had a daughter. Once she started school, I decided that it was 'now or never' and applied for an access to humanities course. I noticed that my daughter was having difficulties at school but was not sure whether I was 'making something out of nothing'! I started to read up on these difficulties e.g. clumsy, unable to tie shoelaces, social problems and many other things, I was still unsure where to go for help.  I looked into professions that could help and decided to gain a job as an occupational therapy assistant.  I then gained a degree in Occupational Therapy, I was able to help my daughter, as still no one was listening.  I became interested in mental health and the difficulties this presents.  My daughter continued to have difficulties through school, College and University and was eventually diagnosed with Asperger's Syndrome when she was 21 years old.  Six years on, I completed a Post graduate diploma in Cognitive Behavioural Therapy and ten years later, here I am! 

So why choose me, all I can tell you is that I try to present myself as a therapist that I would like to confide in.  I am friendly, welcoming, knowledgeable, informal, I am interested in why you are at this point in your life, non-judgemental, good sense of humour but serious when needed, and enthusiastic about CBT/EMDR.  I love it when people come into sessions feeling like they don't want to be there and leave feeling able to move forward!  I enjoy listening and interacting with people, so tell me your story and let's see where it takes us!

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