Coaching psychology and collaborative, person-centred strategies that recognise behaviour as communication and help you respond with calm, clarity, and connection.
Free 15-minute call · No obligation · In-person & Online
"Kids do well if they can."
Dr Ross Greene
I'm Jo Holland, a Behaviour Consultant with over 16 years of experience working with children, young people, and families. I have a strong clinical foundation and apply evidence-based psychological frameworks across all of my work.
I hold a BSc in Psychology with Clinical Psychology and a PGCert in Behavioural Science. My career began in a specialist school for severely autistic children with complex support needs. Since then I've worked with children, young people, and families applying Contextual Behavioural Science, ACT, CBT-informed strategies, Attachment and Developmental frameworks, and Neuroaffirming practice.
Many of the families I work with stay with me for years. That's not something I take lightly. It tells me the work is landing, and it shapes how I approach every new family I meet.
Alongside direct client work, I train and supervise support workers, contribute to multidisciplinary team meetings, and deliver staff training and consultation to schools and organisations. I receive ongoing clinical and coaching psychology supervision and am working toward full Coaching Psychologist accreditation with the BPS.
We understand what's driving behaviour before deciding how to respond to it.
Rooted in Polyvagal Theory and how regulation shapes behaviour in children and adults.
Where possible I work with the whole system child, family, and school together. That's what gets lasting results.
Every child is different. Every family is different. Support is shaped around your reality, not a programme.
No diagnosis needed. No cookie-cutter approach. Whether you're a parent, a school, or an organisation we start by understanding what's really going on, and build from there.
Understand first
We always start by understanding what's driving the behaviour not reacting to it.
Collaborate
I work with the child, parents, and school together where possible. Systemic approaches get the best results.
Evidence-based
CBS, ACT, Attachment, Polyvagal Theory applied flexibly and humanely. No rigid scripts.
Adapt and refine
Strategies are tested, reviewed, and refined until they actually fit your child and your life.
Behaviour isn't random, but it can feel impossible to decode when you're in the middle of it.
Most parents I speak with have already tried the standard advice, only to find it doesn't work for the version of the child they live with at home. If you're navigating meltdowns, school battles, or total shutdowns, I'm not here to tell you what you're doing wrong. I'm here to look under the surface at what's actually happening.
My approach changes based on what your family actually needs — there's no fixed programme or checklist.
Finding what works
We start by looking at your child's specific profile — what's been tried, what hasn't worked, and why. From there we pick the tools that make sense for your situation:
When a child's behaviour is overwhelming a classroom or a team, it rarely helps to focus only on the child. I take a systemic approach working with the environment, the adults, and the child together to understand what's happening and why.
I work with mainstream schools, SEND settings, PRUs, and alternative provision across West Sussex and remotely across the UK.
Supporting children with complex behaviour is demanding work that often needs extra framework and specialist backup. I work alongside the professionals and teams who are closest to the child — support workers, teachers, TAs, therapists, and clinical teams — to build shared understanding and practical confidence.
I also contribute to multidisciplinary team meetings and provide clinical consultation to organisations and specialist services that need experienced behaviour input on a case-by-case basis.
"Jo worked with my son for six years. Her impact was truly life-changing. She combines deep expertise with genuine care, intelligent, compassionate, and always tailored to my son's unique needs. Her personalised strategies helped him grow in ways we never imagined. I can't recommend Jo highly enough."
"Jo has been supporting my family for over seven years. She is not only highly skilled and experienced in navigating the challenges that come with autism, she is patient, understanding, and deeply committed to each child's progress. Her resourcefulness has made a real difference for our entire family."
"I have had the pleasure of working alongside Jo supporting children and adults on the autism spectrum. I cannot speak highly enough of her professionalism and dedication. The thoughtful, tailored strategies she develops for each client are exceptional and she makes collaboration seamless."
Under the Surface with Jo Holland is a free Facebook group for parents navigating big, overwhelming behaviour. Not a course or a programme — a community. A space to ask questions, share what's happening, and be around people who actually get it.
Connected · Collaborative · Confident
A free 15-minute call to talk through what's happening and find out how I can help. No pressure, no obligation, just an honest conversation.