My training was as a psychodynamic counsellor and that is at the core of how I work, however, over the years I have evolved and developed a more expansive way of counselling. Now I would now describe myself as an integrative counsellor. Really what is important for you to know is that my work is client led, I am here to work alongside you, to support you - you are in control and I’ll work with you in a way that suits you.

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I started seeing clients in 2005 and since then have worked in a variety of different organisations, services, and settings. Not only as a counsellor but on helplines, as a support worker and as a manager. Here is some of my experience:

 

• Counsellor at St Elizabeth Hospice within their Emotional Wellbeing Team. The Service supports Hospice patients and their families, living with illness and in bereavement.

• Counsellor at Suffolk Rape Crisis (SRC) Dealing with any form of sexual violence (Rape, attempted Rape, Childhood sexual abuse, sexual assault, sexual harassment, image based abuse or ‘Revenge Porn’, coercive control, sexual violence within relationships/marriage, stalking & harassment, women going through the CJS from report to court)

• Counselling Coordinator and Services manager at SRC

• Set up an Outreach Service at SRC

• Launched Video counselling service at SRC

• Trained counsellors to work Online and on the Telephone.

• I worked with Clarity Wellbeing Services facilitating groups and providing Counselling to new mums and those with Post Natal depression

• Support worker with a service that supports people who have traits of or a diagnosis of Borderline Personality Disorder (BPD- or EUPD Emotionally Unstable Personality Disorder)

• Trainer for KUF (Knowledge & Understanding Framework) Personality Disorder Awareness Training

• Counselling coordinator for the Suffolk Mind counselling service

• Set up and worked on Suffolk mind’s emotional support helpline

• I launched a dementia counselling service (supporting those with dementia and their families and carers) and a telephone counselling service.

• IAPT Counsellor (Improving Access to Psychological Therapies)

• Counsellor at First Stop (Braintree); Halstead Mind; Progress Counselling Essex

• Facilitating ‘Food & Mood’ and ‘Anger Management’ groups

• Helpline Supervisor and coordinator for Maldon (Essex) Mind (NIGHT Helpline)

• Service Coordinator for a telephone service supporting elderly people in North Essex to reduce loneliness.

 

So, when people ask, ‘what sort of issues do you deal with?’ Or ‘what sort of client do you see?’ I say I see anyone - I see clients - I see you as an individual. I ‘deal’ with anything! The reality is you may go to see a counsellor with a specific ‘problem’ or ‘issue’ and choose the counsellor based on this. Invariably though, there are many different threads or parts of life that are playing into this one area, or indeed be separate from it. This is, or can be, a very normal part of the counselling process. Until you start counselling you may not even know what you need to explore.

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What I say is, just get started, find a counsellor, or start that journey with me and if by the time you come to the end of our counselling together and there is a specific problem or issue we feel we still haven’t resolved, we can work out the next steps for you.

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Claire

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QUALIFICATIONS

 

2000 - 2003 - Braintree College
FOUNDATION COURSE - BTEC PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT - In counselling skills

 

2005 - 2007 - Braintree College
DIPLOMA - BTEC PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT - In Psychodynamic Counselling

 

2010 - BACP Accreditation
accredited - pass

 

BACP MBACP (Accred) Register number: 0022198

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