Our Team
We are a small yet highly dedicated team who take our role in the community seriously. We are proud to support local causes and each month we make a clinic contribution to our local Foodbank via donations from our management team and network of therapists. We also support the Sandbach Tunnels initiative via a financial contribution and in future, hope to offer space at our clinic for their work.
Jessica Woolliscroft
Co Founder and Director
Jessica is responsible for the overall governance of the clinic, particularly financial oversight, maintenance of the premises and clinical framework.
Born and raised in South London, Jessica started her professional career working in therapeutic communities, running a registered care home and dry house at the age of 22 years. She then took on the deputy Director role in a specialist housing association for ex offenders followed by a stint as Director of Islington MIND.
In her thirties, Jessica worked for many years as an executive researcher on social/political issues for the Bishops of London, whilst running her practice as a psychotherapist. Following the move to Cheshire in 2000, Jessica spent 12 years working as a clinical supervisor and union rep in the NHS, specialising in raising awareness of childhood trauma, coordinating staff training and fundraising to provide services. Since 2012 Jessica has worked in private practice, for four years with Ann Lowe, helping to run a community interest company (CIC) offering low cost therapy and training placements for people in the Cheshire and Staffordshire borders.
Jessica is currently the Director of Brightstone Clinic and an EMDR Europe Accredited Consultant and Facilitator. She is registered with the United Kingdom Council for Psychotherapy: a graduate member of the British Psychological Society; a full member of the International Society for Trauma and Dissociation and the UK Trauma Register. She has two Masters degrees, in Psychology and Psychological Trauma.
Ann Lowe
Co Founder and Clinic Manager
Ann coordinates the referrals system at the clinic, communicating with clients and working to ensure they are matched with a suitable practitioner. Ann is also responsible for overseeing our marketing. Early on in her career, Ann worked for AXA PPP healthcare: a large employee assistance programme (EAP) provider. She then worked for Cheshire Fire and Rescue and Accenture in their Human Resources departments.
For the last ten years though, Ann has managed The Hope Street Centre, a successful and unique counselling and psychotherapy practice based in Cheshire. Ann has helped over 40 practitioners to successfully base and build their private practice. For four years during this time, Ann also operationally managed a community interest company (CIC) in parallel, offering low-cost therapy and training placements for people in the Cheshire and Staffordshire community. Ann is a Founder and former Director of Mindfulness for All (CIC).
Ann offers her experience of human resources and organisational management as consultant to small businesses including Silk House Therapy Practice, the Big Room CIC, Therapy Spaces UK and JTS EC&I Limited, where she helped secure a £5 million, 3-year contract with an international energy supplier.
Alongside Ann’s talents as an operational manager of therapeutic organisations, Ann has a specific interest in nature-based healing and creative living. She is a talented writer and has ghost written ten published books. In November2021, Ann will qualify as an eco practitioner, following an intensive and immersive holistic training located in the Forest of Dean. She is a qualified Reiki practitioner, life coach and has trained in a variety of approaches to counselling which support Nature Connection.
Carl Woolliscroft
Co Founder and Advisor
Carl provides depth psychological consultancy to the running of Brightstone Clinic.
Carl was born in Newcastle Under Lyme and lived in Chesterton until the age of six. He trained as a teacher of further education gaining his Cert Ed. In his thirties he decided to change direction and moved south to work in therapeutic communities for many years. He gained his Masters in Social Work and ran two registered mental health care homes for social services in Haringey and Hammersmith & Fulham followed by a number of years running a specialist intensive community support team in Tower Hamlets.
In 1999 he completed the 5 year training ( plus two years preparatory analysis) in Jungian Analytical Psychology with the British Association for Psychotherapy (now the British Psychotherapy Foundation). He applied for the post of Clinical Lead of the Psychotherapy Dept. at North Staffs Combined Health Care NHS Trust, where he worked till his retirement in 2016. Carl is also a qualified supervisor with the Society of Analytical Psychology and a member of the British Psychoanalytic Council. Carl is in semi retirement with a very small private practice.
Carl also qualified as a supervisor with the Society of Analytical Psychology and was a member of the British Psychoanalytic Council. Carl is now fully retired from private practice but maintains a lively interest in the work and ethos of the clinic. He offers psychodynamic and managerial consultation to the team.
Rosie Alice
Rosie handles visual communications, creating graphic design and illustration material for our social media presence, leaflets, notices and website.
She completed a degree in Psychology at Bangor University after which she worked with Alzheimer’s patients and individuals struggling with Gambling addiction. Rosie then completed a degree in Illustration at Staffordshire University during which time she received two awards, the first for a children’s educational video game concept and the second for a picture book designed to raise awareness of child neglect.
Get in touch
Feel free to contact us if you have any questions about how counselling works, or to arrange an initial assessment appointment. This enables us to discuss the reasons you are thinking of coming to counselling, whether it could be helpful for you and whether we have the right therapist to help.
You can also call me on 01270 748448 if you would prefer to leave a message or speak to us first. We are happy to discuss any queries or questions you may have prior to arranging an initial appointment. Get in touch.
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