Claire Fryer

There are times in all our lives when we may need a safe space to talk about ourselves, our lives, or something that is distressing us. Counselling can offer an important and life-enhancing experience when we are at our most vulnerable. Having faced my own struggles and painful experiences in life, the awareness I continue to develop through ongoing counselling, training and supervision gives me the space and clarity to be as present as possible with you.

At the heart of counselling is a relationship that focuses on you. It is about acceptance, trust and empathy, and offers you the space and time to explore whatever you most need to. Through this relationship new possibilities and perspectives can emerge as we work together to make the changes you choose. It is my intention to see and hear the uniqueness of you, built on a belief in your capacity for growth and wellbeing.

Talking about experiences and feelings is a hugely important part of counselling. Being seen and heard for who we are can be very enabling and often what we most need. Sometimes, however, we can get stuck in old patterns that are out-dated and are no longer helping us. Being open, curious and creative in the present moment can often breathe life into stuckness or pain and allow us to engage in new ways of being. 

Every relationship between a client and counsellor is unique and I use a flexible approach to adapt to the needs of each individual. The direction we take will be co-created between us and we are likely to explore some of the following:

• The stories and narratives of your life; untangling different threads to get clearer about who you are, the sense and meaning you've made of your life so far, and how you want to move forward.
• Your emotional wounds and the patterns you've developed to protect yourself and to cope with or avoid pain. Allowing feelings you have not been able to feel can bring greater freedom, choice and flexibility in your present life.
• For many clients, using a mind-body approach called Brainspotting can be a powerful way to release pain, trauma and emotions trapped in the deep brain and body. 

Brainspotting is an innovative brain-body-based therapy that has developed out of EMDR. It works with the deep brain, emotions and experiences that become stuck in our body and prevent us from functioning and living our lives as we want to. It is very helpful for releasing and processing trauma. Whether complex developmental trauma occurring over time during childhood, single-event trauma that has happened later in life, or integrating anything we feel is holding us back. It unfolds very naturally and is held within the safety of the trusting therapeutic relationship, based on empathy and attunement.

If you would like to get an idea about whether counselling with me is what you're looking for, please contact me to arrange a free initial one hour meeting, either face to face or over zoom.

Rates thereafter, are £80 an hour.