Claire Hockings

I'm a therapist because I needed one. I have felt what it is to stand at a threshold with no idea what comes next.

I'm drawn to those places. Where something has ended and what comes next isn't clear yet. And to roots. Helping people find ground again when the world has got too big, too loud, and they've lost themselves somewhere in the noise of it all.

Because it happens so gradually. The demands of life accumulate and quietly, without noticing, we start to erode. We stop being a person and start being a function. Sometimes in the world. Sometimes in our closest relationships, so slowly we barely notice until the distance is already there.

Some people come to me and the colour has gone out of everything. Some are sitting with everything colliding at once. A diagnosis, a relationship ending, children leaving, not recognising the life they're in. Some are young, not yet sure who they are, facing a world that feels too big and not quite made for them.

Underneath much of it is shame. The fear of being too much, of being seen and found wanting. In this space it doesn't have to stay hidden. It can just be what it is.

I came to this through a life that didn't go in a straight line. Real loss. The kind that shifts the ground beneath you. I know what it is to rebuild, to figure out who you are now, to have to find yourself again on the other side of something hard. That shapes my grief-informed approach. I bring clarity, steadiness and heart to some of life's hardest moments.

Some weeks will be hard. You'll be sitting with parts of yourself you'd rather leave alone. But then something small shifts. Not because the pain has gone. Because it's finally been seen. Named. Let in.

That changes things.

I work with adults and young people through grief, loss and bereavement, anxiety and depression, stress, burnout, trauma, low self-esteem and self-worth, relationship difficulties, loneliness, life transitions and identity. I have particular experience with young people, and a personal understanding of neurodiversity including ADHD and autism, and the long shadow of childhood trauma. Not just professionally. From the inside.

My approach is curiosity rather than pressure. I care deeply about the relationship between us. That you feel genuinely met, not just listened to.

I'm a qualified therapeutic counsellor working integratively, person-centred at heart. Face-to-face in Newquay, online, by phone and walk and talk across Cornwall. Wherever you are in the world, we can find a way to work that suits you.

It's okay. Take your time. I'm here.

• Low-cost sessions - £40 (Limited availability. Please get in touch to ask about current availability)
• Young people aged 16–17 - £50 
• Adults aged 18+ - £55

All sessions are 50 minutes, in person, online or by phone.

I work with young people aged 16+ and adults, offering a calm, accepting space where we can explore whatever has brought you to counselling.

You don’t need to have everything figured out before we begin, or even know exactly what you want to talk about. Sometimes simply knowing that something doesn’t feel right is enough of a reason to reach out.

I work collaboratively and at a pace that feels right for you. I won’t push you to talk about anything before you’re ready, and I won’t make assumptions about what you should be feeling or how you should be coping.

I believe the relationship between counsellor and client matters. Feeling comfortable, understood and able to be yourself creates the foundation for meaningful work. You can bring the complicated, confusing or difficult-to-put-into-words parts of yourself too.

I have experience supporting people with anxiety, grief and loss, trauma, neurodiversity, ADHD, self-esteem, identity and relationship difficulties. I also understand that there isn’t always one clear reason for seeking counselling. Sometimes life simply feels difficult, overwhelming or somehow no longer fits.

My work is available online across the UK and internationally, offering a consistent space to talk wherever you are. For those living away from home, moving through change, or finding themselves far from familiar people, places and roots, that continuity can be especially meaningful.

I’m also part of Into The Greenhouse - a counselling and wellbeing space I share with fellow therapists Georgie and Frazer. We each work independently, with our own individual approach, while being part of a supportive community of practitioners. I value having trusted colleagues alongside me, with different perspectives and areas of experience.

If you’re wondering whether counselling might help, you’re welcome to get in touch. You don’t need to know exactly what you need before taking that first step. We can start with a conversation and see where it takes us.