Claire Cotgrove

Claire Cotgrove offers a calm, accepting space for people wrestling with identity, trauma and painful relationships. She welcomes LGBTQIA+ clients and those who identify as neurodivergent, and helps people talk through shame, grief and hard life changes. Claire uses a gentle, person-centred way of working that keeps the client's experience at the centre of each session.

Claire trained as a person-centred counsellor and holds BACP. She has three years' experience and brings practical empathy to sessions. Conversations prioritise what matters to the client, with the counsellor reflecting, listening and helping people make sense of their feelings.

She works with a wide range of concerns including trauma, domestic abuse, relationship problems, loss and grief, and issues around sexuality and gender. Claire also supports people dealing with neurodivergence, chronic illness, and intimacy or communication difficulties. Sessions can include creative elements when that feels helpful for the individual.

Claire describes her role as walking alongside people while they make changes at their own pace. The focus is on building trust, reducing shame, and helping people find more ease in day-to-day life. Practical steps and emotional processing are offered side by side.

If someone wants to explore their story in a non-judgemental setting, Claire aims to provide steady support and clear listening. The first step is often a short matching process and an initial appointment to see if the fit feels right.

How Claire uses person-centred and trauma-focused work online

Person-centred therapy puts the client's experience first. The counsellor offers empathy, acceptance and careful listening so people can find their own pace and make sense of difficult feelings. This approach is useful for identity questions, shame, relationship worries and life transitions.

Trauma-focused therapy aims to help people process and reduce the ongoing impact of past harm. It involves creating a steady, contained way to talk about traumatic memories and learn strategies to manage distressing reactions. This can support recovery from abusive relationships and other traumatic events.

Finding the right approach is part of the work. The counsellor will discuss options and adjust methods according to a client's goals, needs and preferences. Decisions about pacing, creative techniques or trauma-focused steps are made together so the client feels involved in planning their care.

If you are considering online sessions, please confirm exact session types before booking because the profile does not list formats. Online work can make fitting therapy into a busy life easier, reduce travel time and allow shorter check-ins when needed. It can also allow clients to choose ways of communicating that suit them while the therapist and client agree what will work best.