Jomo Philips

ABOUT JOMO

“At the heart of my work is a belief that people need relationships in which they can feel safe, understood, connected, and supported. I take a relational and systemic approach to therapy, which means I pay attention not only to the difficulties a person or couple is experiencing, but also to the relationships, experiences, family patterns, culture, and wider context that shape their lives.”

Couples Therapy and Emotionally Focused Therapy

A significant part of my clinical work is with couples.

I am an ICEEFT Certified Emotionally Focused Couple Therapist and Certified EFT Supervisor. Emotionally Focused Therapy, or EFT, is an evidence-based approach that helps couples understand the negative cycles that create conflict and disconnection and develop safer, more emotionally connected ways of responding to each other.

I work with couples experiencing recurring conflict, emotional disconnection, betrayal, relationship injuries, loss of intimacy, major life transitions, and couples who simply want to strengthen an already good relationship.

I also provide EFT Couples Therapy Intensives for couples who want a more concentrated period of therapeutic work.

My involvement in EFT extends beyond clinical practice. I am one of the founders of the Caribbean EFT Community, where I help support the growth of culturally responsive EFT training, supervision, and professional development across the Caribbean.

Trauma-Focused Therapy and EMDR

I also specialise in trauma-focused therapy for adults.

I am an EMDRIA Certified Therapist™ and use Eye Movement Desensitisation and Reprocessing, or EMDR, to help clients work through traumatic and distressing experiences that continue to affect their emotions, relationships, sense of self, and everyday functioning.

My trauma work includes both ongoing individual therapy and more focused EMDR Trauma Intensives.

I am particularly interested in understanding trauma within a Caribbean context and in recognising the ways personal experiences, family relationships, culture, community, and wider social conditions can shape how people experience distress and healing.

Family and Relational Therapy

My background is in couple and family therapy, and I continue to work with families experiencing conflict, disconnection, trauma, grief, transitions, and relationship difficulties.

Rather than viewing one person as “the problem,” I help families look at the patterns, relationships, and circumstances that may be contributing to the difficulty and identify ways of relating differently.

This relational perspective also informs my work with individuals. Even when I am working with one person, I remain interested in the relationships and experiences that have shaped their life.

Education, Training and Professional Credentials

I am a former Fulbright Scholar and hold a Bachelor of Science in Social Work from The University of the West Indies, St Augustine, and a Master of Science in Social Work with a specialisation in Marriage and Family Therapy from the University of Louisville in the United States.

I am also a Registered Marriage and Family Therapist in Canada, a Clinical Fellow and Approved Supervisor with the American Association for Marriage and Family Therapy, an ICEEFT Certified Emotionally Focused Couple Therapist and Supervisor, and an EMDRIA Certified Therapist™.

Alongside my clinical practice, I teach social work and counselling and have also taught nursing and medical students. I provide clinical supervision, consultation, and training to therapists and organisations interested in relational, systemic, trauma-focused, and socially responsive approaches to practice.

I have also served as President of the Barbados Association of Professional Social Workers.

My Approach to Therapy

I aim to create a therapeutic relationship that is warm, collaborative, respectful, and direct.

I believe good therapy should help people make sense of what they are experiencing while also creating opportunities for meaningful change.

My practice is LGBTQIA+ affirming, and I welcome individuals, couples, and families across different sexual orientations, gender identities, relationship structures, family structures, cultures, and backgrounds.

Whether I am working with an individual, couple, or family, I want clients to experience therapy as a place where difficult things can be explored safely and where new possibilities can emerge.

I provide therapy, couples therapy intensives, trauma intensives, supervision, and consultation through The Relational Practices in Barbados and across the Caribbean region.

Beyond Therapy

Outside of work, I enjoy reading, exploring nature, swimming in the ocean, and spending time with my family and friends.

I am usually happiest near the sea, although I only learned to swim as an adult. You can also often find me at spin class.

Being a father has been one of the most important experiences of my life and continues to shape how I think about relationships, connection, growth, and family.