Our Team

We are a team of qualified and experienced counsellors/counselling trainers who are members of the British Association of Counselling and Psychotherapy (BACP) or the National Counselling and Psychotherapy Society (NCPS). We are dedicated to developing practitioners who will make a difference to their clients, in a challenging, inspiring and supportive environment.

Due to regular developments in the field of counselling with new legislation and theoretical ideas emerging regularly, our tutors are required to be in practice, which entails abiding by the BACP or NCPS Ethical Frameworks, undertaking regular supervision and continuous professional development, in addition to annual CPCAB Standardisation training. Having practicing counsellors as tutors ensures we have a pragmatic yet deeply reflective approach to our delivery, which brings a wealth of experience to our training methods, utilises our knowledge to offer creative experiential activities and embeds learning.

Our tutors come from a variety of backgrounds including education, addiction rehabilitation, working with children and young people and working with trauma.

Christine Joseph

Christine gained a Post Graduate Diploma in Counselling from the University of Hertfordshire.

She has completed a Post Graduate Certificate in Supervision with the Open College Network and is a qualified Play Therapist.

She is a practicing integrative Counsellor with over 20 years’ experience of working in education (primary and secondary) and in private practice, working with people of all ages.

This is Christine’s 8th year teaching Levels 3 & 4 and she is looking forward to developing new creative experiential opportunities to facilitate the learning and vital self-development for more students and trainee counsellors.

Christine is a registered member of BACP.

Ann Gluckstein

Ann has many years’ experience working in both the public employment sector and voluntary sector with a strong focus on social inclusion and in developing and building resilience in clients and families.

Finding that some programmes failed to help the most disadvantaged, Ann retrained to be a counsellor with North Hertfordshire College, qualifying in 2005.

Ann has a certificate in creative person-centred supervision and a qualification in coaching and mentoring. She regularly undertakes more creative training to maintain her personal development which balances her interest in written policies and procedures and her enthusiasm for criteria.

Ann works part-time in a secondary school as senior therapist and also has a small private practice.

Ann is a registered member of BACP.

Jo Ansell

Jo is a BACP Accredited counsellor with 13 years’ experience. She has developed a specialism in bereavement through work in hospices and for Cruse Bereavement Care. She has experience in the management of counselling services and of delivering specialist training.

Jo has also worked at a women’s resource centre and for several years in private practise. She is a supervisor and qualified to work with couples.

Jo is an accredited member of BACP.

Dawn Wilson

Dawn has been in private practice as an Integrative Counsellor since completing her counselling diploma in 2020. She is about to embark on training to also become a clinical supervisor.

As well as working with a variety of issues including anxiety, depression, stress, relationship issues, childhood trauma and intrusive thoughts, Dawn also has considerable experience in supporting friends and family of alcoholics.

Dawn is passionate about the counselling industry having high-quality, qualified practitioners and enjoys facilitating students in gaining a deeper understanding of themselves and learning how they might be able to help others.

Dawn is a registered member of BACP.

Jamie Fairbank

Jamie has a Postgraduate Diploma in Counselling from the University of East London and is working towards her Supervision qualification with the University of Derby.

She has a background in teaching and also holds a PGCE and a Postgraduate Diploma in Mental Health Recovery and Social Inclusion.

Jamie works in private practise, specialising in working with those who have been impacted by sexual violence and abuse. She is also experienced in pre-trial therapy and works with both adults and young people aged 13 and over.

Jamie is a registered member of BACP..

Alison Strutt

Alison qualified as a counsellor in 2006 and has worked in a variety of agencies with a wide variety of clients. She is person-centred in her approach, but also integrates other ways of working into her practice. She now works in private practice alongside teaching.

Alison began teaching 10 years ago, delivering Introduction to Counselling courses and has since taught at levels 2, 3 and 4 (diploma). She enjoys facilitating others’ learning process, enabling them to not only learn and develop their understanding of themselves and others around them, but also to develop their counselling skills too.

Alison is a registered member of BACP.

Gemma Fitzsimons

Gemma qualified as a person-centred counsellor in 2023, after studying at The Collaborative Counselling Academy. She now runs her own private practice and continues to work as a counsellor with survivors of domestic abuse at a local women’s refuge.

A keen believer in the benefits of online therapy, Gemma has undertaken specialist training that has allowed her to develop a greater understanding of the skills and competences necessary to deliver high quality online therapy.

A qualified teacher with several years’ experience, Gemma has a passion for delivering engaging and interactive learning that enthuses students to become life-long learners.

Gemma is a registered member of BACP

External Tutors and Consultants

We are delighted to work with many experienced and knowledgeable practitioners and the following tutors maintain ties with CCA as external consultants.

You might find them delivering workshops, contributing to classes, facilitating supervision or helping with our experiential All Academy days. We are also grateful for some of their “behind the scenes” contributions too!