Clare Abbotts

Hi! I'm a counsellor and psychotherapist working in Stoke-on-Trent, Stone, Newcastle-under-Lyme, Stafford and north Staffordshire, offering face to face, online,  telephone and outdoor counselling. 

You may be considering counselling because you're feeling stuck, overwhelmed, in pain or trying to work through grief. Perhaps anxiety, depression, self-criticism or feeling really down or conflicted is really weighing you down and it's impacting on your day-to-day life. Perhaps you need to feel more confident, or find a you that feels, well, more you.  Perhaps something happened that you've never been able to understand.  Perhaps you don't know what's wrong.  

I offer outdoor therapy as well as online or face to face.  I'm passionate about the impact that nature and the outdoors can have on supporting processing of emotions and empowering people to make the changes they need.

By helping you to explore and identify your feelings, I can help you to better understand what you need to get through what's troubling you.  With me, all emotions are valid and are important clues as to what you need.  We'll work together to understand them and help you make small changes that can make a big difference. With me, you can create your own 'ripple effect'.

I work with adults in both short-term and long-term work. I am an integrative psychotherapeutic counsellor, which means I'll draw on different approaches to help you with what you need, when you need it, but you'll be in charge on what we work on and when. I'll never push you 'too far.'  

It can be difficult to know how to choose a counsellor - it can be really overwhelming.  But with me, we'll take it a step at a time. I believe in the power of a therapeutic space where you don't feel judged and where you can explore your feelings really safely.

While I have experience of helping people with a range of issues, my specialist areas include:

• relationship issues (working with the individual rather than with couples) including conflict
• trauma
• childhood trauma and experiences
• bereavement and grief
• loss and major life events
• abuse
• health issues and illness
• depression
• stress, anxiety and panic 
• relationship and family issues
• ADHD and neurodivergence and pressures from society
• anticipatory grief
• self-confidence
• self-esteem, self-identity and empowerment
• social anxiety
• anger
• loneliness
• self-exploration
• working outdoors  - to help people heal through natural spaces. This includes walk and talk therapy and more immersive practices (if you want to use them) to harness the healing power of nature.
• working with disabled people to empower them in an 'ableist' world working creatively, using natural objects and other creative objects to help you tune in to your thoughts and feelings.

Interested in getting started? Your first session is free and acts as a way for us to get to know each other, for me to understand your goals for therapy, and for you to see if I'm the right counsellor for you.  If I am, we can then arrange the first session. You can email me to get started or find out more about the first session at https://therippleeffecttherapy.com/your-first-session%2Fprices .  I look forward to helping you.

• Anticipatory Grief
• Death anxiety
• Palliative care
• Anger
• Long Covid

• Free initial online or telephone consultation
• £45 per session for most although concessionary sessions are available (please ask about this at the point of enquiry - thanks)
• I offer a limited number of lower-cost sessions for people in hardship (low income, or benefits for example - £35) and students (£40). Please make it clear that you are asking about these places at the time of booking.

I am insured to practice therapy outdoor for those clients that feel they would benefit from therapy in a more natural environment.