Online counselling and support services for those dealing with the general ‘stuff of life’ and/or those faced with chronic health conditions
What has brought you here, to this page? Are you worried about something happening in your life right now, something that has already happened, or that you think might happen soon? Are you tired because you can't sleep? Feeling frazzled because there's so much going on and your head is spinning with it all? Life is tough for us all and your experience of it is really important. If you’re feeling at a low ebb, it’s perfectly ok to talk about it with someone such as myself who is impartial, trained to listen, be curious, not stand in judgement and work with you to find a more rewarding way to live.
My expertise built over the last twenty years has focused primarily on supporting people affected by anxiety, depression, stress, low self-esteem and loss (whether that's bereavement, financial loss or other). There is no need to suffer on your own.
Whether you’re struggling with the general ‘stuff of life’, and/or a chronic health condition, there is no need to struggle on your own. I have a counsellor to support me and firmly believe we can all benefit from the same, however trivial our ‘problems’ may seem.
We need to be compassionate towards ourselves so that we can be compassionate to those round us too.
Who do I support?
- Anyone aged 16+ who is struggling with the 'stuff of life’: stress, low mood, sleeplessness, for example
- People affected by loss, be this bereavement, or some other aspect of their lives
- Individuals who live with chronic health conditions, such as MS, cancer, rheumatoid arthritis, COPD, autoimmune diseases; their family members, carers and friends
Maybe you’re experiencing all or some of the opposite alongside a long term health condition too or chronic pain.
Having been diagnosed with Multiple Sclerosis in 2018 I understand the value of having a counsellor who has similar lived experiences to you. I get the frustration, the fear, anxiety and uncertainty, possibly heightened by the invisibility of many conditions, the possible stigma and lack of understanding as our conditions ebb and flow, go quiet and maybe re-surface with different symptoms entirely. How to cope with it ourselves, how do we show ourselves to friends, family and colleagues (as well as to the people we come across everyday on buses, trains, in supermarkets): these are part of our hidden challenges which need constant negotiation. We don’t always want to burden our nearest and dearest: they’re having to find their own ways of coping and managing with us as well as their own lives.
How does it work?
My counselling sessions are most commonly online and last 50 minutes each.
I always suggest that we have an initial phone conversation (free of charge) lasting 10- 20 minutes so that we can introduce ourselves to each other, and begin to understand what support might be beneficial for you.
We'll then discuss the best way to move forward, for example:
- Session frequency (e.g. weekly or monthly)
- Your preferred communication method (e.g. WhatsApp, phone call, Whereby, Facetime)
- Your time zone and convenient hours
Occasionally just one or two sessions may be sufficient, but 6 to 12 is more common, sometimes spread out fortnightly after the first few weeks. Sessions are booked on a week by week basis with allowances obviously being made for holidays, meetings, emergency situations etc.
About me
I'm an ex-London based international market researcher, who retrained as a Counsellor 12 years ago having gone through numerous losses and upheavals along the way. Six years ago, by that time living in rural Herefordshire, I was unexpectedly diagnosed with 'good' Multiple Sclerosis (RRMS).
This came as a total shock. I felt angry, questioned ‘why me’, was frustrated and scared. There was very little support available which, realistically, I now realise can never be provided to the extent that would be helpful because MS, and other such conditions, can be wildly unpredictable in terms of how they progress.
Six years on I’ve learned to accept its presence, learned how best to manage it, discovered tools to help, and am looking forward to the end of scientists’ challenges in the face of myelin damage repair (as described in the recent MS Society Annual Lecture, 2024*). Meanwhile, I try to make the best of life.
I'm fully trained and qualified as an integrative counsellor, (from Bristol University where I gained a Postgraduate Diploma in Counselling), so very familiar with and sometimes practising of elements of CBT, Psychodynamic counselling, gestalt, and ACT (acceptance and commitment therapy) as appropriate on a client-by-client basis.
I’m also an enthusiastic practitioner of Mindfulness Meditation (having completed foundation teacher training through Breathworks (breathworks-minfdfulness.org.uk) which is something I may introduce into sessions if relevant and of interest to yourself.
I practice strictly ethically, in adherence with BACP guidelines, I'm underpinned by insurance and supervision and maintain confidentiality at all times (apart from within certain limitations).
My training, qualifications and experience:
- Post graduate diploma in Counselling from University of Bristol 2012 (an integrative course)
- Part-time support worker with Safe Haven (Mind, Hereford)
- Ex volunteer Cruse Bereavement
- Breathworks Mindfulness training (first stage)
- In addition to my private practice, I work with PsyCoach carrying out TV participant support and assessments for a variety of TV Production companies.
If there is something affecting you, or someone close to you, for whatever reason, you don't need to handle it all on your own. I'm very happy to talk and share some of the load. You just have to take that first step and pick up the phone or send that email and we can take things from there.
Maybe you want to offload on someone who will be kind, compassionate, and have some real-life experience of whatever it is you're going through. Possibly it's a one-off conversation and that's all you need, maybe it's more - we won't know until we talk!
Take that final step and text or call me. It will be a privilege to hear from you.
What My Clients Say
“I needed to talk through a problem about my Dad. He had been causing me a lot of daily worry/stress with regard to his attitude towards me. After three sessions with Claire he is no longer dominating my thoughts.Thank you so much Claire for helping me find peace.”
Fiona, September 2022
“I met with Claire on and off for a period of six months this year and she really helped me with the acute anxiety I had been feeling for a long time."
Roy, June 2022
"I feel incredibly fortunate to have connected with Claire. I was a little nervous and daunted about the process, but Claire was kind, patient, professional and offered real and very practical advice and techniques that were relevant to me and my circumstances. The process helped me move forward and gave me a sense of perspective going forwards in life and I feel stronger for it."
Gemma, June 2021
"I really appreciate your approach, driven by empathy, and how much you have taught me about self-compassion and presence in the moment. I now need to learn to better incorporate that into my day-to-day life as we've discussed many times.
Thank you for all your help, Claire!"
Freddie, August 2023
"Absolutely fantastic! As soon as I had a session with Claire my whole mindset changed. She was professional and honest, I've never had counselling before so I was a bit nervous, but I was able to chat openly and felt supported. Really recommend if you feel you need some help."
Jennie, Feb 2021
"Claire adopts a practical, no-nonsense approach which suited me down to the ground. The process was more about nudging in the right direction for me to sort things out for myself. I thoroughly recommend Claire."
Paul, Aug 2020
"I've just finished my sessions with Claire after working with her for six months, and she has been nothing short of amazing. Claire was so understanding, kind and took her time to understand me, how I think, and to find the best way to communicate things to me for me to understand. She would 'call me out' when I needed to be, which helped so much with grounding me in reality and making me think more rationally again. She's helped me build up my confidence and learn techniques to deal with the really stressful and depressing period of my life I was in, as well as to prepare me to use everything I've learned in the future. All in all, I'm in a much better place now thanks to my sessions with Claire and everyone around me has noticed the progress and improvement while I was working with her and afterwards. I strongly encourage anyone to give her a try as I had such a fantastic journey with her."
Samantha, March 2021
“I am so happy to have found Claire. She was willing to work with me via video calls, guiding me through my anxieties with so much care and kindness.
She is warm and approachable and gave me the tools to better handle stressful situations in the future and encouraged me to have more compassion for myself. Thank you for everything!”
Ali, March 2024
"A friend yesterday who has seen me a lot recently said I looked different. I think I feel freer. Thank you for facilitating this result.”
Sarah, 2023
Fees & availability
My fees range from £40 to £70 per session. (I limit my charge to £40 for a small number of clients who may be unable to access help if this lower rate was not available).
Get in touch
If you would like more information on the services I offer or to arrange an appointment,
please fill in the form below.
You can also call or text me on (+44) 07971816541 to chat in person.