Counselling & Psychotherapy for all your well-being needs.
Meet the therapist…
Hi, I’m Claire…
I offer both short and long-term therapy, online and face to face (based just 5mins walk from Kingston station).
I specialise in working with teenagers and young adults and I have extensive experience in grief counselling and coping with divorce/relationship breakdown.
Most of my clients need help setting up some immediate strategies to cope with difficulties in the present. Then if it feels right to them we work towards understanding and addressing the root causes.
I don’t claim to have all the answers, but I’m committed to providing support and insights that can empower clients to find their your own answers.
My therapeutic style is warm and gentle yet challenging when appropriate. I support clients when they need to step outside their comfort zones and achieve personal growth and self-discovery.
No two paths to healing are the same. I offer a tailor-made approach that reflects your unique needs and goals. Talk therapy is important and for some clients that is enough. For other clients they need a more physical or less confrontational approach. For example:
Art Therapy: painting, drawing, doodles and tangles, clay play, crafting
Nervous System Balancing Techniques: Breath work, role play, meditation, somatic movement, tapping
Creative journalling, creating affirmations and mantras
I provide a safe confidential space where you can talk about anything in your life that may be uncomfortable, confusing or painful without fear of judgement.
Counselling on a weekly basis for up to two years.
How I Work…
I’m a compassionate therapist who can support you in finding a positive way forwards in difficult times. There are many reasons to seek counselling such as anxiety, depression, bereavement, substance abuse, relationship issues, childhood trauma or feeling stuck and hopeless. Counselling helps in different ways:
Manage difficult feelings
Find new ways of relating to yourself and others
Supports you through life crises or life changes
Sometimes, life’s journey can leave us feeling lost or overwhelmed and needing a little help finding our way through. I’m here to provide the support you’re looking for.
I work in a relational, client centred ways to navigate through challenges and uncertainty. I can help you process your thoughts and feelings, and gain more clarity and peace around what’s been happening. As a BACP registered Psychotherapeutic Counsellor, I can use my expertise to help you move on from feeling stuck in unhelpful patterns to empowered to make the changes that lead to a more fulfilling life. If you need to talk in confidence, or would like to know more about how I can help you, please reach out.
Is Counselling for me? Assessments:
Making the decision to get some help can be challenging. You may be unsure whether therapy can help with what you are struggling with, or whether now is the right time for you to address this issue. Taking the step to share what’s been troubling you, can be really daunting. If you have never experienced therapy before, it’s understandable that you may feel unsure what to expect.
I understand these difficulties and can help you figure it out. This is why I offer a free 45min Assessment to answer any questions you may have and help you decide what’s best for you at this time. Please do not hesitate to book an assessment, even if you are just curious to learn more.
The assessment is an opportunity to talk through the difficulties you are experiencing and what it is you hope to achieve through counselling. Assessments take place online via Zoom. You will be asked to complete a short questionnaire prior to the assessment.
Please be aware assessments are bound by confidentiality but is not a therapeutic session.
Make an appointment email Claire… reach out.
What to expect in the assessment:
I will tell you more about how I work and you’ll be asked questions to develop an understanding of what you need from therapy.
This is also an opportunity for you to get to know me. Research shows, that the quality of the therapeutic relationship is the best predictor of positive outcomes, so this session gives you an opportunity to see if you feel comfortable working with me. If I can’t offer you the support you need, or if you feel it’s not a good fit, we will work with you to make a referral and find you the help you need.
Counselling sessions:
Commitment: For your counselling to be effective, it is important to attend weekly for a minimum of 6 weeks. The process of healing, whilst being facilitated by a therapist, is organic, and takes its own course; so it’s genuinely not possible to make a reliable prediction of how many sessions you will need. Please remember that what you want matters, and when you feel ready, you are able to end therapy with relatively short notice.
Each counselling session is 50 minutes and takes place on the same day and time each week. Sometimes you may not be able to attend a session for a variety of reasons. If the cancellation is last minute, and we are unable to reschedule, you will still be liable for the fees. We have a clear cancellation policy so you will know ahead of time.
I work in Kingston and Online. You preferred location and time will be agreed in the assessment process.
Fees:
Sliding Scale Based on Income. It’s important to me that Counselling is accessible to everyone. I hate seeing prices block people out of wellbeing spaces so my pricing guide is as follows:
£55 per session > Low income/struggling to meet basic needs (limited spaces available).
£65 per session > Standard/Able to enjoy a meal out without worry.
£75 per session > Rarely think about costs when purchasing, happy to pay slightly more to support access for those on lower income.
Session are invoiced four weeks in advance of your first session. All missed sessions must be paid for aside from planned holidays. If two sessions are missed without letting us know we may offer an ending session. All session fees will be regularly reviewed and are subject to an annual increase.
Confidentiality:
We abide by the Ethical Guidelines of BACP, one of the governing bodies regulating counsellors and psychotherapists. Confidentiality is maintained to ensure you feel safe discussing private and personal issues. There are a handful of ethical exceptions to this e.g. if your or another persons’ safety is at imminent risk. We will go through these with you in your assessment and first session.
Counselling and Meditation:
Therapy and medication can work well together and offer you an additional pillar of support in the therapeutic process. If this is something you are interested in please raise this in your assessment.