BABCP accredited CBT & EMDR Therapist
Helping you gain understanding, clarity, confidence and quieten self-criticism
If you’re struggling to navigate life decisions or feeling stuck in that cycle of anxiety and depression you don’t have to figure it out alone.
Hi, I’m Jo
I know how exhausting it is to hold everything together - that's why I've created a space where you can finally be honest, reconnect with yourself, and improve your wellbeing.
Sawya comes from the Cornish word meaning ‘to heal’. I am originally from Cornwall and have spent much of my life in this amazing part of the world. There’s something about the landscape that relates to how I think about healing - wild, grounded and quietly resilient.
I bring over 10 years experience working as a therapist, senior clinician and clinical supervisor across NHS primary care services and the private sector. I've been practicing CBT since 2016 and completed my training at the University of Exeter. I am BABCP accredited and I am also trained in EMDR, ACT, compassion focused therapy and somatic approaches.
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Move beyond burnout and chronic stress
Process and heal from trauma and PTSD
Find calm amidst anxiety and overwhelm
Let go of people-pleasing and rediscover their identity
Reconnect with themselves after years of holding everything together for everyone else
Feel able to express their needs without guilt
Replace shame and self-criticism with self-compassion
Understand why something feels missing, even when life looks good on the outside
My Specialisms
CBT Therapy
EMDR Therapy
Third-Wave Therapies
Why I specialise in building confidence, treating trauma and reducing self-criticism…
I started Sawya Mind and Body because I understand, firsthand, the quiet struggles that individuals who look ‘fine on the outside carry. It can feel like burnout that builds quietly while you’re busy meeting responsibilities and achieving goals.
Maybe it feels like people-pleasing that leaves you wondering who you actually are beneath all the doing.
Or the overwhelm that creeps in when you're the one everyone else relies on, and feeling burdened by it.
This might have lead to the feeling of disconnection from yourself, despite having a life that looks successful from the outside…and an inner critic that tells you things should feel better than they do.
Working with The Armed Forces
As a military spouse, I know how isolating this life can feel. The constant relocations, the long stretches of solo living, the way your own identity can take a back seat when your world is shaped by someone else's service.
That isolation can run deep - getting established in a new community, while trying to build and maintain your own sense of belonging can be tiring.
I also work with female reservists and veterans - women navigating the complex intersection of military identity, burnout, and the challenge of finding themselves outside of, or after, service.
With additional training through Kent and Medway NHS Trust Armed Forces Network, and experience working alongside veteran colleagues clinically and therapeutically, I understand the culture, the pressures, and the unspoken weight this community carries.
If any of this resonates, I'd love to hear from you.
My Qualifications
BSc (Hons) Psychology, University of Exeter
Postgraduate Diploma in High Intensity Cognitive Behavioural Therapy, University of Exeter
High Intensity CBT Supervision, University of East Anglia
Eye Movement Desensitisation and Reprocessing, parts 1-4, EMDR Masterclass
Acceptance and Commitment Therapy, Cardiff University
Cognitive Processing Therapy, Dr Candice Monson via Combat Stress
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Level Three Safeguarding Adults
Mental Health First Aid
Enhanced adults and children DBSYTT 200hrs
Yin Resonance® 100hrs
Beyond the therapy room
I truly believe recovery isn’t one-size-fits-all, and I love bringing both worlds togethers
I’m a 200hr Yoga Teacher and Sound Healing Practitioner, and recently deepened my training in Yin Resonance® - blending sound with the healing practice of Yin.
Outside of work, you’ll find me running (currently marathon training!), trying new restaurants, or exploring somewhere new - travel and the outdoors keep me grounded.
