At Quo Vadis Trust (QVT), our counselling service provides a safe and supportive environment where clients can explore their emotions, gain confidence, and move forward in their recovery. One of our dedicated counsellors offering this support is Martha Jones, whose own life experiences and professional training have shaped a compassionate and empowering approach to therapy.
Martha’s counselling career
Martha’s path to counselling began with a lifelong interest in people, psychology, and the mind. “I took a degree in psychology and philosophy back in 1985,” she explains, “and have always been fascinated by people, the mind, and emotions.”
However, her life took an unexpected turn following a medical emergency that left her in a coma and with lasting disabilities. “Recovering from that experience – and the support I received from others – inspired me to retrain as a Person-Centred Therapeutic Counsellor,” she says. “I understand what it’s like to rebuild your life after a profound change. Now, I offer support to adults, children, and young people to learn to accept what they can’t change and to thrive in a way that’s authentically them.”
Working with QVT clients
For Martha, joining QVT has provided an opportunity to work with people who may otherwise struggle to access counselling at a pivotal point in their lives. “Working with QVT gives me the opportunity to support clients who are ready to make the commitment to their own growth and change – sometimes for the first time in their lives,” she explains. “The most rewarding aspect of this work is seeing how the different threads of support available through QVT come together to create a launch pad for the next steps in a client’s route to independent living.”
Martha’s person-centred approach focuses on building a therapeutic relationship grounded in respect, empathy and autonomy. “If someone feels uncertain about counselling,” she says, “I’d encourage them to understand that their confidentiality will be respected within a non-judgemental environment. They’ll be valued as the unique person they are, and that their voice will be heard.”
A client’s perspective
For one QVT client, who wishes to remain anonymous, counselling with Martha has been a life-changing experience.
“Life felt like I was trapped in a dark room, with everything crashing down on me all at once,” they recall. “The overwhelming need for answers and a process to navigate through my troubles led me to QVT. Martha, with her guidance, offered me solutions, helped me open up, and restored my ability to communicate and process my thoughts.”
At the time, they were struggling with low confidence and difficult relationships.
“I was very annoyed with myself. I felt like I didn’t have much choice in my relationships, whether with partners or friends, and experienced a lack of trust in others. Despite preferring to keep to myself, facing betrayal was tough.”
Over time, counselling helped them rediscover confidence, communication skills, and self-acceptance.
“Counselling has been incredibly beneficial. It’s given me a new outlook on life and made me unafraid to take bold steps. I’ve learned how to handle situations, the importance of a listening ear, and how to embrace myself. Altogether, it’s created a better version of me.”
While challenges remain, the client now feels equipped to face them.
“I still feel some depression and anxiety at times, and I’m dealing with family issues. But I’m tackling these head-on. Counselling with Martha has opened a new chapter for me – helping me define who I want to be and accept life’s challenges.”
The impact of therapeutic counselling
Stories like this reflect the essence of Martha’s person-centred philosophy – that real change comes when clients are empowered to find their own voice and direction. As she puts it, “I most enjoy working within the QVT community, where all support staff share the same goal: to empower single homeless adults who are experiencing challenges with their mental wellbeing.”
Ingrid Tennessee, QVT’s CEO, explains why counselling is such a valuable addition for clients:
“Counselling at QVT is an integrated service that enhances our core commitment to tenancy sustainment. Such complementary support is essential for individuals in holistic, supported living environments. When someone is engaged in a wider recovery programme, access to counselling becomes a vital component of their progress.
“By offering an in-house counselling service, we significantly reduce the long waiting times often associated with GP referrals and ensure that clients can access high-quality support quickly and conveniently. Uptake has been consistently high, demonstrating both the need for and the value of this provision.
“This service not only strengthens our overall support model but also distinguishes QVT from other supported living providers, positioning us as a preferred option for referrers and prospective clients”.
At QVT, counselling isn’t about fixing people; it’s about helping them reconnect with their own strengths, resilience, and sense of self. With counsellors like Martha,” Ingrid continues, “our clients are finding hope, confidence and a path towards independent living.”
Thanks so much to Martha for speaking with us.
You can read more QVT news and insights HERE