Clare Carter - Profile

Hello and thank you for taking the time to read my profile.

Life can have a habit of throwing challenges our way which can leave us feeling depressed, confused, powerless, anxious or angry. Knowing how to move forward during these difficult times can be incredibly hard.

Having a space to acknowledge and explore these difficult feelings and to understand them better can be the beginning of finding a path towards potential healing and growth.

As a qualified counsellor, I offer a warm, non-judgemental and empathetic space to support you on your journey of deeper understanding, with compassion for whatever has brought you here.

Frequently asked questions:

What might I expect from my sessions?

My training is in integrative counselling which means I can use a number of different counselling approaches and theories. This makes it easier to be flexible, to work at a pace that suits you and find the unique path that feels right for you.

Using a holistic approach, we will initially explore what is going on for you right now, noticing the whole person, the mind, the body and spirit. By doing so, we start to increase our self-awareness which can be the first step to understanding and ultimately change.

Part of your counselling process will also include starting to notice deep and often unmet needs and gradually learning to meet them with understanding and compassion. Should you choose, we will take time to explore and reflect on your past experiences, noticing how these may have affected and be continuing to affect the present.

It is from this place of greater self-awareness that you can be supported in making changes that align with what is important to you and that honour the unique person that you are.

But what if I’m not very good at talking…

We all have differing ways and means by which we process and communicate more easily. In our sessions along with talking therapy, we can use a variety of different creative techniques to help you explore, process and express your emotions and feelings. This can include guided imagery, inner child work, drawing, sand play and using pictures. These are just a few of the ways in which we gently expand your awareness of yourself and the world around you bringing with it the potential for change.

I do not have any severe issues… Will I still benefit from counselling?

You do not need to be experiencing a crisis to benefit from counselling. You may want to explore where you are in life, increase your self-awareness and engage in personal growth.
Counselling can provide the opportunity to help you come to terms with and accept what can’t be changed, gain a clearer perspective on life or work through a difficult choice. The safe space is yours to bring as much or as little as you need.

What might be my next step?

Choosing a counsellor that you feel comfortable with is such an important part of the counselling process. If you have read this far and are wondering if we may be a good fit to work together, I would be delighted to have a free initial 20-minute phone call with you to answer any questions you may have.

If you would like to find out more at this point we can book an initial session at The Eaves which will include inviting you to tell me a little more about you, what has led you to seek counselling at this time and what your hopes and needs are from counselling.

I will tell you about how I work and provide you with some information about session length, frequency, confidentiality and cancellation policy. This will give you a little more information and the chance to decide whether counselling is the right thing for you and whether you feel comfortable with me. If you would like to continue, we can then arrange your ongoing regular sessions.

How many sessions will I need?

This is a difficult question, because everyone is different. Our work may be short-term (anywhere from 6 – 12 sessions), or have no set end date and finish whenever you feel is right for you. The first month is usually enough time to get a sense of whether you feel therapy with me is right for you, and whether you would prefer a short-term focus or to work together on an open-ended basis. In the third session we discuss how it’s been so far – what you feel is useful and what might not be working or missing, and whether you want to continue – either on an open-ended basis or for between 6 – 12 sessions.

For however long you chose to continue with counselling we will have frequent reviews throughout our sessions to see how you are feeling and whether you feel we are moving towards your goals. This will give us the opportunity to adapt our sessions to meet your unique needs and preferences.

Are the sessions confidential?

As a member of the BACP, all sessions are confidential in accordance with the BACP’s Ethical Framework for Counselling Professions.

https://www.bacp.co.uk/events-and-resources/ethics-and-standards/ethical-framework-for-the-counselling-professions/

I bring to my practise thirty years of working in the caring professions. This has included working as a dietitian in the NHS providing support to oncology and renal patients and supporting young people on the autistic spectrum within the education sector. I currently volunteer at a charity as a counsellor for adults.

My therapeutic experience has included working with adult clients with a range of issues. These include anger, anxiety, depression, bereavement and loss, chronic illness, change and transition, low self-esteem, stress, shame, trauma and spiritual issues.

I have experience of issues surrounding ME/CFS and am particularly interested in the mind-body connection.