JoANNA Lynam
BABCP Accredited Cognitive Behavioural Therapist (CBT)
Joanna Lynam
BABCP Accredited Cognitive Behavioural Therapist (CBT)
Pro-nouns - She/Her
Jo is a highly experienced BABCP-accredited Cognitive Behavioural Therapist with over 25 years’ experience supporting people with mental health difficulties across the NHS and private sector. She brings exceptional expertise, having trained and worked at the Centre for Anxiety Disorders and Trauma at the Maudsley Hospital — a national specialist service for complex trauma. Originally trained as a mental health nurse, Jo spent 15 years specialising in addictions before retraining as a CBT therapist and has since worked for over 14 years within IAPT services, treating a wide range of anxiety disorders and depression.
Jo has particular specialist expertise in birth trauma and perinatal mental health, alongside extensive experience in trauma, OCD, health anxiety, and complex presentations. Jo integrates CBT with compassion-focused, schema, and third-wave approaches, offering thoughtful, in-depth therapy that helps clients understand how past experiences shape present-day patterns, build self-compassion, and create lasting, meaningful change.
Areas of Specialism
Addictions (including Pornography / Sex, Substance, Gaming, Gambling)
Eating Disorders - Anorexia & Bulimia
Eating Disorders - Over Eating & Weight Loss
Emotional Regulation
Depression - Low Mood
Depression - Major
Pregnancy, Prenatal, Postpartum
Birth Trauma and Post natal depression
Depression
Low Self-esteem
Trauma (Birth trauma and CSA),
Developmental Trauma
Anxiety
Anxiety - Stress
Anxiety - Generalised (GAD)
Anxiety - Health
Anxiety - Performance
Anxiety - Separation
Anxiety - Fears of abandonment
Anxiety - Social
Anxiety - Phobias (including tokophobia)
Emetophobia (Specific Fear of Vomit)
Body Dysmorphic Disorder (BDD)
Obsessive Compulsive Disorder (OCD)
Body Image Problems
Menopause
Perfectionism
Trauma - Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD)
Trauma - Complex PTSD
Trauma - Road Traffic Accidents
Conditions & Difficulties Treated
AHHD
Anxiety - Agoraphobia
Anxiety - Death
Anxiety - Panic / Panic Attacks
Autistic Spectrum Disorder (ASD)
Alexithymia - difficulty identifying/ expressing emotions
Bi-Polar Disorder
Depression - Seasonal Affective Disorder
Self Harm
Family Issues - Adoption
Family Issues - Blended families
Family Issues - Conflict
Parenting Issues
Carer Problems
Grief / Bereavement / Loss
Miscarriage
Loneliness
Personality Disorders
Problem with telling lies
Pain management
Health conditions - Acute / Long Term
Health Condition - Cancer
Procrastination
Skin/Hair picking (tricotillomania / dermatillomania)
Sleep - Problems
Sleep - Insomnia
Tinnitus
Relationship - Attachment issues
Relationship - Codependency
Relationship - Communication difficulties
Relationship - Doubt in relationship
Relationship - Infidelity, affairs & betrayals
Relationship - Intimacy
Relationship - Separation & Divorce
Life transitions
Work - General Problems
Work - Bullying
Work - Redundancy
Work - Stress
Long COVID
Anger
Menstrual Health
Trauma - Childhood Trauma
Trauma - Dissasociation
Trauma - Rape / sexual assalt
Trauma - Childhood sexual abuse
Therapeutic Approaches & Models
Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT)
BABCP Accredited CBT Therapist
Exposure Response Prevention (ERP)
Compassion Focused Therapy (CFT)
Schema
Inter Personal Psychotherapy (IPT)
Acceptance & Commitment Therapy (ACT)
Mindfulness
Schema Therapy
Solution Focused Therapy
Dialectical Behaviour Therapy (DBT)
Jo Works With
Adults (19-65 Years)
Elderly (65+ Years)
Professional Training & Accreditations
Postgraduate Nursing Diploma in Mental Health
Bachelor of Science in Cognitive Behaviour Therapy
Postgraduate Diploma in Cognitive Behavioural Therapies
BABCP Accreditation
Client Testimonials
A Safe, Supportive Space with Specialist Insight
“Jo was open-minded and created a safe, nonjudgmental space where I felt comfortable sharing my thoughts and experiences. She was consistently encouraging, offering support and reassurance while motivating me to reflect and grow. Jo’s knowledge and insight in general and regarding Emetophobia were clear throughout the sessions, and she explained concepts in a way that was easy to understand and helpful to apply in everyday life.” Anonymous
Jo has transformed my understanding of depression.
"I can highly recommend Jo Lynam as a therapist and CBT specialist to anyone struggling with depression. I have suffered as long as I can remember and always felt it difficult to trust that someone understands my issues. Her expertise along with her friendly and compassionate approach have been invaluable and have helped me to understand the problems I have been facing for so many years in day to day life. Jo is really easy to open up to without making you ever feel self conscious, always being supportive. I always looked forward to my sessions.
Jo has been able to build my confidence in helping myself to cope, through providing and teaching me practical strategies and tools to manage my mood and feelings so much better. These were not something I was equipped with after my counselling. She has enabled me to understand how the brain works a lot better and why I feel the way I do, meaning I don't feel so isolated and alone. I now feel more empowered and capable of challenging negative thoughts and patterns of behaviour. I have some healthy coping mechanisms to turn to, which although challenging are becoming easier to use over time.
I feel that since starting my therapy with Jo I have found somebody who listens, understands and helps in a way that is realistic and manageable, building my low confidence in myself and overall improving my well being. I really feel that Jo has proved to be everything I need to help me believe in myself and give myself some much needed self worth. It's work in progress but I now feel much more positive about my future than I have in so many years." Annonymous
Jo helped me regain control over my health anxiety and trauma.
“I worked with Joanna under the NHS and I am incredibly grateful for her support. I have had a few different therapists in the past but none who I have clicked with as well as Jo. I first saw Jo when I was feeling incredibly anxious about my health after having long covid for around 8 months at that point, as well as having a chronic bladder infection. I felt very low and out of control with my health conditions. Jo provided a space for me to talk openly about my fears and together we worked to find strategies on how to think about them in a way which didn’t dictate and control my life. Once I felt more in control we were also able to address past trauma from a previous relationship. I’ve finished therapy now and feel in a much better place mentally and more confident I can deal with whatever comes up with my physical health.” Anonymous
Jo's support has been a lifeline after trauma.
“I wanted to write and thank you so much for your help over the last months.
As you know, I felt in a terrible way following trauma after my son’s birth, and I am so relieved to feel ok. I know I still have work to do and miss the safety net of our sessions!
You are knowledgeable and remained compassionate and tuned into me and made me felt heard and understood as well as offering useful advice.
Even on the days when things are difficult, there is no comparison to how I felt before.
Thanks so much” Katie