Claire Williams
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This professional is available for new clients.
This professional is available for new clients.
About me
Hello, I am an experienced and registered MBACP counsellor, based in Exeter, working with adults, young people and children. I work with a wide range of issues, including anxiety, depression, self-harm, bereavement and loss, and trauma; (please see the full list below).
I offer a warm, safe, confidential and non-judgemental space for you to explore difficulties or problems from your past or present and look at how these maybe holding you back from living a more satisfying and fuller life.
As a humanistic counsellor, I focus on building a respectful, caring and empathetic relationship with you and, through this, support you as you grow towards your potential. I also always make sure that I work in a way that suits and values you as an individual.
It can feel very daunting and challenging to seek help, whether it is for yourself or your child. Please feel free to contact me by email, text or phone, to arrange an informal, no cost, no obligation phone call about the support you would like and I will get back to you as soon as I can.
My referrals come from a variety of sources: Social Services, schools, GamCare, Pro-Counselling (EAP telephone and online therapy) and private clients. I have also worked as a staff counsellor for the NHS.
I have worked in education since 1998, as a Lecturer, Teacher, Parent Volunteer, Special Education Needs Teaching Assistant and school counsellor, in places ranging from South Wales, Southern Africa, New Zealand and, currently, Devon. I have much experience in supporting pupils and students with emotional, behavioural and learning difficulties, including speech and language, autism, anger issues and anxiety/separation anxiety.
I also worked as a Graphic Designer, between 1988 and 2000, in London, Brighton and Swansea and am able to offer creative interventions such as painting, sand tray and model making in therapy sessions.
Children and Young People
I work with children and teenagers in an intuitive and creative way, building a trusting and safe relationship with them, which helps them to explore the difficulties that they are facing in their lives. Counselling sessions do not have to just be about talking. Interventions such as art, puppets, sand tray, slime making, etc, can all help children and teenagers to work through whatever they are finding troubling or challenging. If I am seeing a client in school, I am very happy to hold counselling sessions outside, if this is suitable for them.
I work with children and young people from Reception (age 4/5 years old) upwards and I always seek to tailor therapy sessions to best suit each individual.
Training, qualifications & experience
I have an Advanced Diploma in Integrative Counselling (BACP Accredited), from the Iron Mill College, Exeter and a Diploma in Working with Children and Adolescents, (BACP Endorsed), from Lindum College, Lincoln. I also ensure I regularly attend training workshops for my Continued Professional Development.
These include:
- Working with Anxiety
- Counselling Adult Survivors of Childhood Sexual Abuse
- Calming Techniques for Working with Trauma
- Working with Eating Disorders
- Counselling Skills for Primary School Children
- Safeguarding Children
- Counselling People with Disabilities
- Dramatherapy
- Working with Transgender Clients
- Attachment Theory
- Suicide and Counselling
- Retroactive Jealousy
- Mental Health in Primary Schools
- Responding to Difficult Conversations
As well as working with adults, young people and children in my private practice, I also work within schools in Exeter, providing therapy to pupils. I have worked for Journey Therapeutic in Crediton and Young Devon in Exeter.
I have ten years experience of working with children with Special Education Needs; this includes working with Autism, Speech and Language difficulties and anger issues. I hold a current CRB check.
I have a great interest in other cultures, having travelled widely, and have lived and worked in Botswana and New Zealand. I have also lived and worked in multi-cultural settings in the UK; these include working with international students, (mature and young adults), and EAL pupils; (English as an Additional Language).
I have lived in many areas of the UK, including London, Norwich, Brighton, Swansea and now Exeter.
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
Fees
£40.00 per session
Free initial telephone session
Concessions offered for
Additional information
My fees for counselling sessions are:
£20 for an assessment session.
£40 for each session after this.
Each session is up to 1 hour long and payment is due, by BACS or cash, at the end of each session.
When I work
Monday to Friday 8am to 8pm Saturdays from 9am to 2pm
Further information
If you feel that counselling could be of benefit to you and would like more information, please contact me for a confidential and no obligation talk.
