My name is Claire and I am a fully qualified counsellor/psychotherapist with 8 years experience. I am passionate about the work I do, and offer a warm, open space where clients feel heard and understood. I aim to work collaboratively to help you understand your feelings and experiences in a greater depth and find a way forward.
I work in a person-centred way, allowing clients to bring what they need to each session and aim to be flexible in the way I work with them. I have a strong belief in equality and intersectionality, and aim to provide a non-judgemental space where I support and understand clients and the experiences they bring with them, seeing them as an individual, but also taking into account the societal context in which we live and the impact this can have on us.
I have also recently completed a certificate with the Association for Person Centred Creative Arts, so am also able to offer person-centred creative arts counselling where we can use art therapeutically in sessions (more information of the approach is available here).
My journey as a counsellor began from the other side of therapy as a client. My own experiences of therapy, both good and bad, have influenced my practice and what I want to offer as a therapist. Additionally, I feel my own experiences are something that aid me in supporting others, knowing all too well the difference being fully heard and understood can make. Before training as a counsellor I worked in various roles, including in the charity sector, translation, teaching, as well as being involved in organising and co-coordinating grassroots women’s arts projects.
Current and past roles:
- Counsellor within an NHS sexual health and gender identity clinic
- Counsellor at LGBT Youth Scotland
- Co-founder and Director at Kaleidoscope Counselling Scotland
- Employee Assistance Programme Counsellor
- Peer Support Worker with Scottish Association for Mental Health
- Student counsellor at City of Glasgow College
Training:
- Postgraduate Diploma in Counselling & Psychotherapy (University of Strathclyde)
- Postgraduate Certificate in Counselling (University of Strathclyde)
- Certificate in Therapeutic use of Person Centred Creative Arts (Association for Person Centred Creative Arts)
- ASIST (Applied Suicide Intervention Skills Training)
- Emotion Focused Therapy (Level 1)
- Working with Autism and Neurodiversity
- Working with Survivors of Childhood Sexual Abuse
- Working with Domestic Abuse (particularly in LGBTQI relationships)
- Various modules on the impact of sexual trauma
- Online and telephone counselling training
- Pink Therapy Advanced Practioner Certificate of Study (ongoing)