About me
In-person counselling in Hove and also Online therapy
Searching for a therapist can feel overwhelming — with so many profiles to choose from, it’s hard to know where to start or how to tell one therapist from another.
Don’t give up. Keep exploring until something in a profile’s words or images speaks to you, even if you’re not quite sure why. It’s also helpful to visit websites and speak to more than one therapist to get a feel for who might be the best fit.
I’m Claire, and I offer supportive, empathic, friendly, and confidential counselling and psychotherapy in Hove, East Sussex. With over 13 years of experience working as a therapist with adults, teenagers, and young people, I’m passionate about the long-term benefits of therapy and committed to making a positive difference in my clients’ lives.
My approach isn’t rigid — it’s tailored to you and your unique needs, adapting as we work together. I believe the relationship between client and therapist is key to making meaningful progress and change.
I understand how daunting it can be to find the right therapist. If it helps, we can have a brief phone chat where you can ask any questions before deciding to book a session.
Why you might feel you need help
Sometimes we just don’t feel quite right and aren’t sure why. Your mood may be low, with little or no joy in daily life, and the activities that once brought happiness feel out of reach. This can impact your self-confidence and self-esteem, sometimes leading to difficulties at work or feelings of anxiety in social situations.
For some, this low mood has lasted a long time — even years. For others, it may come on suddenly, seemingly without reason. Sometimes it’s connected to focusing so much on others’ needs (like children, partners, or parents) that you end up neglecting your own wellbeing.
You might feel lonely - it can be difficult to be alone, but also hard to be around people when feeling sad and perhaps feeling like there is nothing to offer socially. You might notice a harsh inner-critic which can impact self-esteem and cause negative thoughts about who you are and what you have to offer.
Conversely, you might also be aware of what your feeling is and why you are feeling it. You could be grieving a loss, worn out by work, or questioning the path your life has taken, experiencing guilt because anger issues are causing pain and problems with relationships. Perhaps you need help with understanding why you have difficulties communicating your feelings without getting angry.
You may have found yourself caught in cycles of worry, living with the impact of past harm, or managing the challenges of a chronic condition.
You might want to feel more confident in your relationships, or you may be exploring deeper questions about life, identity, and what it means to be you.
I encourage you to seek support if any of this resonates with you. Talking therapy can help you gain a better understanding of how you are feeling, why it might be happening and what you can do to help yourself.
I often hear people say things like, “I pushed my feelings down and put on a happy face,” or “I just got on with it.” Sometimes that approach helps us get through for a while — until something happens that tips us into crisis and makes it impossible to carry on as before. Realising we need support can be a powerful turning point, but putting it off for too long can leave us feeling even more overwhelmed.
When we keep going despite feeling very low, or even depressed, the effects can build up quietly in the background. It’s not just our mental health that suffers — our bodies can feel the strain too. Sleep problems, exhaustion, headaches, body aches, and changes in sexual functioning can all be signs that our emotional wellbeing has been under pressure for a long time.
Counselling and psychotherapy can support you in making sense of your past experiences and your current situation. In psychodynamic therapy, the aim is to deepen your self-awareness and understand how your past may be shaping your thoughts, feelings, and behaviours today.
This is a relational approach, which means the therapeutic relationship itself becomes a safe space to explore and reflect. Together, we can notice patterns — in your own behaviour or in the way others relate to you — that might be influencing your relationships and overall wellbeing.
Specialisms
My experience is broad and I take on clients who are experiencing difficulties with a wide range of issues; for example social anxiety, ADHD, trauma related issues and relationship worries along with the long list you can see at the bottom of this profile.
Additionally, I also specialise in some particular areas of therapy.
These specialisms tend to come from my professional interests or my own personal life experiences and I have extensively researched and attended further training to gain particular expertise and understanding of the issues that might arise to help when supporting particular clients.
LGBTQ+
I have considerable experience supporting lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender clients, whether they are navigating relationships, personal challenges, or exploring their sexual and gender identities. I also bring my own personal history and identity to inform my work. My approach is inclusive, affirming, and sex-positive.
Whether you’re coming to terms with your identity, facing difficulties with coming out, managing the impact of discrimination or minority stress, or navigating complex relationship dynamics, I offer a safe and understanding space to explore these experiences. I am committed to supporting you in building resilience, self-acceptance, and wellbeing.
If you’re facing difficulties you find hard to manage alone, or simply want a supportive space to talk, please do get in touch.
Menopause
Perimenopause and menopause can be a challenging and sometimes isolating time in a woman’s life. Despite increased awareness in the media, many women still feel unprepared or confused about their symptoms and the emotions that come with these changes. It can add to daily stress, and family members may not always understand what you’re going through.
You’re not alone — if you’d appreciate space to talk about how menopause is impacting your life, please reach out.
Ethical Non-Monogamous Relationships
If you’re in a non-monogamous relationship or considering exploring one, and want to approach it consciously and ethically, I’m here to support you. Understanding the different forms non-monogamy can take, and how it might affect your current or future relationships, is important. Issues such as jealousy, time management, fairness, trust, and emotional connection often come up, as well as navigating communication challenges and setting clear boundaries.
I work with individuals and couples in polyamorous, open, and other consensually non-monogamous relationships, recognising that challenges arise just as they do in monogamous partnerships. No two relationships are alike, and I provide a safe, non-judgmental, sex-positive space for you to explore what feels right for you and to work through any difficulties with compassion and understanding.
Fertility
Trying to conceive isn’t straightforward for everyone. If you pursue fertility treatment, it can feel overwhelming and isolating, especially when others don’t share the journey or understand what you’re going through. Difficult decisions may need to be made, adding to the stress. Infertility or being childless not by choice is a significant and often unexpected life change.
If you would like to talk to someone with both personal and professional experience of the fertility process, please feel free to get in touch via my website or this profile.
www.insightcounsellingbrighton.co.uk (link at the top of this profile).
I see clients in a comfortable, quiet, and confidential therapy room in Hove.
Training, qualifications & experience
I qualified as a therapist in 2012, earning a Postgraduate Diploma in Psychodynamic Therapeutic Counselling from Brighton University. Since then, I have been practising as a therapist based in Hove.
To broaden my skills, I have completed additional training including a Foundations of Cognitive Behavioural Therapy course and a Certificate in Couple Counselling. These have deepened my understanding and enable me to offer more specialised support to my clients.
Over the years, I have also attended many shorter courses on topics such as trauma, online therapy, anxiety and more recently around supporting people with ADHD. I believe staying current with research and ongoing professional development is essential to provide the best care possible.
Before training as a therapist, I worked for around 20 years as a teacher in London and as an education advisor.
Member organisations
BACP is one of the UK’s leading professional bodies for counselling and psychotherapy with around 60,000 members. The Association has several different categories of membership, including Student Member, Individual Member, Registered Member MBACP, Registered Accredited Member MBACP (Accred) and Senior Registered Accredited Member MBACP (Snr Acccred). Registered and accredited members are listed on the BACP Register, which shows that they have demonstrated BACP’s recommended standards for training, proficiency and ethical practice. The BACP Register was the first register of psychological therapists to be accredited by the Professional Standards Authority (PSA). Accredited and senior accredited membership are voluntary categories for members who choose to undertake a rigorous application and assessment process to demonstrate additional standards around practice, training and supervision. Individual members will have completed an appropriate counselling or psychotherapy course and started to practise, but they won’t appear on the BACP Register until they've demonstrated that they meet the standards for registration. Student members are still in the process of completing their training. All members are bound by the BACP Ethical Framework and a Professional Conduct Procedure.
Accredited register membership
The Accredited Register Scheme was set up in 2013 by the Department of Health (DoH) as a way to recognise organisations that hold voluntary registers which meet certain standards. These standards are set by the Professional Standards Authority (PSA).
This therapist has indicated that they belong to an Accredited Register.
Areas of counselling I deal with
Therapies offered
Photos & videos
Fees
£75.00 per session
Concessions offered for
Health Insurance/EAP
Additional information
My fee for individual sessions is £75. I offer a limited number of concessionary places, which are often fully booked. If you need a concessionary rate, there may be a waiting list.
When I work
| Mon | Tue | Wed | Thu | Fri | Sat | Sun | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Early morning | |||||||
| Morning | |||||||
| Early afternoon | |||||||
| Late afternoon | |||||||
| Evening |
Further information
My therapy room is comfortable, private, and located in West Hove, with easy transport links and on-street parking available.
Online Therapy
I also offer online therapy via Zoom for those who prefer not to attend in person or cannot do so.
Benefits of online therapy include:
Accessing sessions from the comfort of your own home at a time that suits you.
Flexibility to fit therapy into your lifestyle, ideal for busy schedules or caring responsibilities.
Equally effective as face-to-face therapy.
Secure, encrypted software that ensures confidentiality and peace of mind.
For more information about how I work, please visit my website: www.insightcounsellingbrighton.co.uk.
I look forward to welcoming you.
