Thrive Counselling Cumbernauld was formed in 2016. Our lead practitioner Jenny is committed to offering confidential counselling that can help you address your individual needs and issues, within a safe and friendly environment.

Hi, I’m Jenny Bell (nee McLintock) and I offer one-to-one counselling  and supervision for counsellors in Cumbernauld (Carron House, next to St Mungo’s Church) during Weekday evenings and Wednesday and Friday daytimes.

Why consider counselling with me:

You might be thinking about counselling as you are struggling in some way, such as with anxiety, low mood, poor self-esteem, negative habits or issues from your past.

You may not feel able to talk to those in your life about your issues; you might worry about burdening them, feel embarrassed, they don’t understand or are a part of your concerns.

I can offer you a safe, supportive and confidential space to work together through the issues you may be having. Counselling can help you to understand yourself better, improve your relationships and to work towards leading a more fulfilling life.

My Integrative approach:

I offer an experienced integrative approach to counselling with over 10 years working and volunteering in the counselling field. I was originally trained in the Person Centred approach to Counselling but I am trained in and incorporate other therapeutic techniques to help you to meet address your issues, and to move forward in your life. These include CBT, what is known as ‘Third Wave CBT‘ approaches such as Schema Therapy, Acceptance and Commitment Therapy, DBT, and a Trauma recovery approach.

For instance this could include Cognitive Behaviour Therapy techniques to help you to identify and change negative thinking patterns and behaviours, Compassion Focused Therapy which can help you learn to be kinder to yourself and less self-critical and/or DBT which can help with emotion regulation and interpersonal difficulties.

Schema Therapy

I also have training in Schema Therapy and integrate these techniques in my practice. Schema therapy is a therapy which can help you to tackle enduring issues and patterns within your life and relationships.

It can be very helpful where you have experienced difficulties during childhood for instance such as the following- experiencing abuse (including narcissistic abuse), neglect, unpredictability and instability within the home environment, a lack of emotional availability from caregivers, being bullied and alienated from peers, having to ‘parent’ siblings and parents and/or having had caregivers that were controlling and smothering).

Trauma Recovery Approach:

I have completed an extensive certificate in CPTSD through the Complex Trauma Institute, which taught me (Judith Herman’s) staged approach to client recovery from CPTSD. For instance Stage 1 of the process is about working towards increased ‘safety and stabilisation‘ in life, including management of trauma symptoms and triggers, which may feel enough for some clients. However others may wish to continue towards Stage 2 which involves trauma reprocessing, and Stage 3 which involves working towards rebuilding and reconnecting after trauma and leading a more fulfilling life.

I am a member of the ‘Complex Trauma Institute’ and can be found on their directory of therapists qualified to work with CPTSD: HOME | Traumainstitute

Specialisms:

Counselling Men:

I have significant experience in working with male clients. I am sensitive to the continued challenges faced by men as a result of gender based, societal and cultural expectations. I aim to create a space where men feel safer to open up and express their thoughts and feelings without fear of judgement.

Addictions:

I am an accredited Alcohol and Drugs Counsellor with over 14 years experience in this area including with alcohol, cocaine and cannabis issues.

Anxiety and Stress:

I have significant experience and training in supporting clients to address issues relating to anxiety, including Generalised Anxiety, Health Anxiety and Panic disorder.

CPTSD/Developmental Trauma

I have supported many clients through issues relating to difficulties or trauma experienced in childhood. I have experience in working with clients with CPTSD and have completed an extensive certificate in CPTSD through the Complex Trauma Institute, which taught me a staged approach to client recovery from CPTSD. My schema therapy training has also given me a solid grounding in supporting clients impacted by development trauma and adverse childhood experiences.

ADHD:

I also have training and an interest in supporting neurodivergent clients, in particular clients with ADHD or those who may relate to ADHD traits and symptoms, but have not yet had any diagnosis.

Please note as a counsellor I do not offer any form of diagnosis. I advise clients to consult their GP in the first instance should they wish to pursue any form of diagnosis or require further medical intervention, be it for a mental health condition and/or neurodevelopmental disorders.

For example, counselling might instead include supporting you to explore and gain a greater understanding and or acceptance of your symptoms and traits. It could involve working together to help you to develop strategies to manage the difficulties you feel are related to executive functioning issues.

This might include helping you to try to address difficulties such as with motivation, getting started on tasks, memory, time management, focus and concentration and completion of tasks, daily functioning and self-care.

Supervision:

I also am a qualified counselling supervisor. Please see the ‘supervision’ section for more information.

Accreditation, Ethics and Professional Background:

I am an Accredited member of COSCA and abide by their ethical standards, http://www.cosca.org.uk. I am also a registered member of BACP. I also work for COSCA (Counselling and Psychotherapy in Scotland), part-time as a Development Officer. COSCA are the professional body for counselling and psychotherapy in Scotland.

At COSCA, I coordinate validation of counselling training courses and counsellor and trainer accreditation systems. I have been fortunate to have supported the development of validated counselling courses across Scotland, which have trained their students in a range of therapeutic approaches. This role has given me extensive knowledge of ethical counselling practice, which I am passionate about. I have been in this role since 2018, and previously had a role within COSCA coordinating the Recognition Scheme, a Quality Assurance scheme for counselling organisations.

Complaints:

Should you be unhappy with any aspect of my service please contact COSCA http://www.cosca.org.uk and follow their Complaints process. COSCA are a PSA accredited organisation who regulate Counselling and Psychotherapy in Scotland.

About Me:

I strive to be warm, friendly, approachable and down to earth- I have lived in Glasgow most of my life but only relatively recently moved to Cumbernauld so I am sensitive to the needs of the local area, and the challenges we can find with accessing quality services!

My personal interests include animals (especially cats-very therapeutic to me!), cooking, football, fashion, creativity, playing the guitar and (90’s!) music. I am a member of the ‘Creative Counsellors’ community: Home | Creative Counsellors – Creating Transformational & Wild Spaces for Clients & Counsellors to Roam Free

Experience

• Thrive Counselling Cumbernauld- Director-2016 to present
• COSCA (Counselling and Psychotherapy in Scotland) September 2018- Development Officer (Individuals and Courses)-Coordinating counselling course validation, counsellor and trainer accreditation systems, annual trainer’s event and accreditation workshops   (part time)
• Glasgow Council on Alcohol- Part Time Alcohol Counsellor in Glasgow East End-2015-2018-Delivering counselling across Glasgow East End, City Centre and Kirkintilloch, supporting and supervising trainee alcohol counsellors.
• Volunteer Alcohol Counsellor: GCA-2011-2015
• COSCA (Counselling and Psychotherapy in Scotland)- Recognition Scheme Development Officer- 2015 to April 2017-Coordinating a quality assurance scheme for Counselling Organisations across Scotland.
• Welfare Advisor/ Employee Counsellor- East Dunbartonshire Council 2014-2015
• The Wynd Counselling Service- Volunteer Counsellor 2013-2016
• Glasgow University- Placement Student Counsellor- 2015
• Cruse Bereavement Care- Volunteer Bereavement Counsellor- 2012-2015

Qualifications

• Post Graduate Diploma in Person Centred Counselling and Psychotherapy (Stirling University) (2015)
• BA Psychology Honours First Class- Strathclyde University 2006

Training/CPD

• Gender Diversity Training- Creative Counsellors-2025
• Everything you wanted to know about ADHD Medication but were afraid to ask-Online Events-2025
• Doorways-A Jungian experience-Creative Counsellors-2025
• Working with Domestic Abuse and Risk management-BACP 2025
• Burnout to balance-Working creatively with neurodiversity- Creative Counsellors-2025
• DBT Training Certificate-2025-PESI
• Turning Painful Paperwork into Therapeutic Expression-Creative Counsellors
• Devising and Using Comprehensive Risk assessments-BACP-2025
• CPTSD Practitioner Certificate- 2024- Complex Trauma Institute
• Schema focused therapy certificate SCQF level 9 ACT Counselling- 2024- (original schema training) 2017)
• Neuroscience and Anxious Attachment-Online Events-2024
• Certificate in Integrative Creative Supervision Skills-2024
• Understanding Self harm training- Self harm network-2024
• Working with ADHD-Online Events 2023
• Intimacy after Assault-SARSAS-2023
• Habitual worry, repetitive fantasizing and obsessions-Online Events 2024
• Queer Experiencing Trauma and Person Centred Therapy- Online Events-2023
• Fear and the Attachment System- Complex Trauma Institute-2023
• Fear and the Therapist- Complex Trauma Institute-2022
• Working with adult survivors of childhood trauma-CTI-2022
• Learn how to stop nightmares using the dream completion technique-Havens Technique-Online Events-2022
• Shame, sex and the body-Online events-2022
• Couples Counselling for One-Online Events/Link Centre-2021
• How to Overwrite the Trauma Response-Online Events-2021
• Trauma Work During Stage 1/Stage 2-Complex Trauma Institute-2021
• Exploring Hypervigilance- Complex Trauma Institute-2021
• Introduction to Somatic Therapies-Complex Trauma Institute-2021
• Working with Clients who are stuck- Complex Trauma Institute-2021
• Understanding the trauma of being a member of a high demand group- Online Events 2021
• Your brain loves yoga-Online Events 2021
• Working with the Impact of Severe Trauma-ACT Counselling-2020
• Applying DBT to the treatment of Trauma- Wildflower Counselling-2020
• Yoga and Meditation in Therapy- Online events 2020
• Coronavirus-Considering our responses and responsibilities-online events-2020
• Using Zoom for Counselling-Online events-2020
• How to work with a Clients Emotional Triggers-NICAMB-2020
• COSCA Counselling Supervision Certificate-2019
• Working with OCD-2019
• Rewind Technique-2018
• Schema Therapy Certificate-ACT Counselling Services 2017
• Trauma Informed Practice 2017
• Anger Management 2017
• Treating Generalised Anxiety and Panic Disorder 2017
• Drugs Awareness Training 2016
• Mindfulness Foundation Certificate 2015
• Mentally Healthy Workplace Training for Trainers 2015
• Coaching for Counsellors Certificate 2015
• Compassion Focused Therapy Certificate 2015
• SCOTACS Cognitive Behavioural Therapy Toolkit- Centre of Therapy 2012
• Advanced Alcohol Awareness Certificate 2011
• Accredited Alcohol Counsellor (Glasgow Council on Alcohol)
• CBCS Specialist Module in Bereavement and Loss (Cruse/COSCA) 2012
• ASSIST Applied Suicide Intervention Skills 2011
• Utilising Relationships to Aid Recovery Certificate
• COSCA Counselling Skills Certificate 2011