About
Hi, I’m Joy Sparkes. I have been working as a psychotherapist and counsellor since 2019. I started Neuro Affirming Therapy to honour neurodiversity—embracing both the strengths and the challenges that shape each person’s experience. Below, you’ll find a little about me so you can see if my training & experience is the right fit for you
University Studies
Currently I hold a bachelor of integrative psychotherapy, a bachelor of management, and honours in psychology.
Special Interests
I have special interests in understanding mechanisms of personal change, neurodivergence, psychedelic assisted therapies, expanded states of consciousness, developmental trauma, trauma processing, attachment theory, self actualisation, personal integration and breathwork.
Approaches & Further Training.
The approaches to therapy I utilise are person centred, least restrictive, harm reducing & integrative.
I have done further training in; EMDR level 1 & level 2, DBT, schema therapy, hearing voices, reasons for use (AOD), gender diversity, personality disorders, mental health first aid, suicidal ideation, working with trauma survivors, trauma attachment and neuroscience, psychedelic assisted therapies, neurodynamic breathwork and various neurodiversity trainings.
Lived Experience
I have lived experience with complex trauma and neurodivergence, so I understand how challenging it can be to create meaningful, lasting change—especially within ourselves. I’m here to tell you this:​
Living becomes meaningful when you learn to respond from a place of choice.
I hold a deep sense of hope for anyone curious about understanding themselves and building a relationship with their own growth.
What Is In The Way Is The Way
Often we recognise there is something in the way of us moving forward with our lives. ​​​
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Together we will find our way to understanding what is in the way for you in your life, so we can learn to gently and curiously explore our way through it.
How I Work
Person centred care belies my work so, my service is bespoke for each individual but has a strong focus on the therapeutic relationship and supporting processes of self actualisation.
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Psychotherapy is relational in nature and my therapy looks at how to utilise several therapeutic models, theories and practices (mentioned above in Approaches & Further Training) to create a personalised treatment.
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If you're in the market for a therapist, make sure they have experience and training in the area you need most help in.
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Feel free to reach out with any enquiries you have.
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I look forward to connecting with you.
A list of life experiences I have worked with professionally
- Abuse
- ADHD
- Anxiety
- Attachment Issues
- Bi-Polar Affective Disorder
- Bullying
- Depression
- Existential Crises
- Feeling Stuck
- Gender Issues
- Grief and Loss
- Hearing Voices
- Life Transitions and Adjustment Disorders
- Personality Disorders
- Psychosis
- Relationship Issues
- Self Harm
- Self-Development Issues
- Self-Esteem
- Situational Crises
- Spiritual Emergencies
- Stress
- Suicidal Ideation
- Trauma (complex, discreet and PTSD)
