Claire Tootill

Hi, my name is Claire at Treetops Therapy, thank you for looking at my profile.

After many years of working in the Corporate world - I felt something was missing and I realised I wanted a career change.  I’ve always had a strong desire to help others and to assist people with the challenges of daily living.  

I’m a warm and compassionate person and interested in people and how our life experiences shape us in so many different ways.

I trained as a Samaritan and volunteered for several years and it was from there that I decided I wanted to become a qualified Therapeutic Counsellor.

About me and how I work:

I work from a quiet private room in my home which has ample parking as well as being easily accessible by bus routes from the local surrounding areas.

I am working face to face (within a safe distance) if that works for you and I’m also happy to work together using Zoom or Skype.  

I also work closely with a Reiki & Indian head massage therapist.  Reiki is an energy healing technique that promotes relaxation, reduces stress and anxiety.

My approach is warm and open and my role is to create a safe, non-judgemental, reflective and accepting space to support and empower you. 

There are times in our lives when we struggle to cope and make sense of what’s going on for us. It can be very isolating to suffer without feeling heard, understood or helped. In my counselling room I will offer you a safe place to talk, to unburden and to feel heard and understood. We will be able to work together on the things that are troubling you. 

Life can be overwhelming at times where you feel alone and not believe you have anyone to talk to, friends and family are not always available or the best people to speak with to get unbiased support. My service is completely confidential, you can be yourself and express whatever you may be feeling. 

I believe effective therapy is based on the relationship between the client and counsellor and is therefore, important that you choose a counsellor that you feel comfortable with.

As an impartial third party, I will have your best interests at heart.  The talking therapy process can be healing and nurturing. Counselling can help you find a sense of clarity, making it easier to be open to change, accept or find ways of coping with your situation, promoting a sense of wellbeing and this can facilitate increased self-awareness.

I work with a blend of person-centred approach (focusing on you and the changes you want to make) and psychodynamic approach (valuing the relationship between past and present) according to the needs and perspectives of my clients.

We are all different and I will adapt to suit your needs. I consider the relationship between the counsellor and the client to be essential to the therapeutic process and my principle concern is you - your emotional and psychological well-being and how I might best support you through all that you are experiencing.

I also believe working in a creative way can help for people that find it hard to find words to express themselves.

One to one counselling can help in the following ways:

Understand yourself better
Change the way you feel about yourself
Change behaviours and your reactions to situations
Deal with conflict and angry feelings
Feel more confident and act with more confidence.
Understand the links between your past and your present situation and the feelings behind it.
Have a sense a being heard and understood, leading to less stress and isolation.
I regularly attend further training to develop my knowledge and supervision.

I work short term and long term.

Practical arrangements:

We agree a regular weekly time and your counselling session will be available to you for as long as it is helpful.  I am based in Orpington and there is good access to parking.   Please call on the telephone number above or email me to arrange an initial consultation.

What to Expect In Your First Session:

I believe that it is a strength, not a weakness, to seek help when we need it and understand that it takes courage to enter counselling for the first time.

During our first session together, I will carry out an assessment by asking questions and taking notes and exploring what you wish to obtain from your counselling sessions and what your goals are. Together we can work on achieving those goals and I will provide tools for you that you can continue to use in your everyday life.

You may feel apprehensive, anxious or a discomfort before starting therapy.  Our first session will be an opportunity for you to ask any questions you may have about the process and to look at the ways we can work together.  It will also be an opportunity for you to share some of the struggles or difficulties that you want to explore. 

Counselling is all about you. Life can be very hectic at times where you forget what is important and neglect your own feelings. Counselling gives you the safe space to be yourself and to be heard, you have nothing to lose but a lot to gain. 

Looking after our mental health is equally as important as looking after ourselves physically.

“Self-care is how you take your power back.” — Lalah Delia

“Emotional pain is not something that should be hidden away and never spoken about. There is truth in your pain, there is growth in your pain, but only if it’s first brought out into the open.” — Steven Aitchison

What if we meet outside counselling?
Because I work and live locally, my policy is that if I pass you in the street or in a shop, I acknowledge you if you acknowledge me first. This is to preserve your confidentiality – after all, neither of us knows who the other is accompanied by and what they know.

What if I'm unhappy with my counselling?
If you have any concerns during your counselling, please tell me. I find this is nearly always the best way forward.