Clare Brown

I work between Tuesday through Thursday between 8 and 6:30pm and Friday mornings. I try to be as flexible as possible in order to create a consistent and comfortable counselling experience.

I will be out of the office on the 9th and 10th May 2024, returning to regular hours on Tuesday 14th. 

Are you finding it hard to connect with people and feel understood? Maybe you’re trying to make sense of a relationship; you used to get on but something’s changed and the idea of talking about it makes your heart race? Or perhaps you have tried but it’s left you feeling ashamed and hurt.

Counselling can make room for change. We all experience hundreds of thoughts, feelings, behaviours, and beliefs every day. Now imagine those thoughts, feelings, behaviours and beliefs each as a piece of furniture in a room. Some of them are comfortable and look good, they have served you well and continue to do so. Some of them might need a bit of re-upholstering in order for them to work for you now as you have grown over time. And some of them might need taking out completely as they no longer serve you. They might trip you up and hinder the progress to fulfil the life you want. Counselling can give you the tools and space to figure out what stays, what might need updating and what you could get rid of. It’s a chance to do this with someone to walk alongside, guide and support you in those changes. Change doesn’t have to be so scary.

Attending counselling can be daunting, even if it’s not your first time. I know this from experience! Given time and persistence counselling can guide you from feelings like:

• ‘overwhelm’,

• ‘not good enough’,

• frustration at being misunderstood, and many others,

towards:

• feeling more calm and secure

• being able to say no and

• taking care of yourself when others try to sabotage you.

Part of the counselling process is showing up. The second part is to trust the process and allow experience and training to support you in those changes, in a non-judgmental and compassionate space through reflection, raising awareness and learning new ways of thinking. 

Both in my career spanning over a decade, as well as in my personal life I have had the honour of listening to people who were struggling in different settings especially when I worked in blue light services supporting those in crisis; sitting with those contemplating if life is worth living, reflecting on conversations they’ve had about who they are and who others want them to be, and working out a way to stand up for themselves. I love to encourage people to make decisions that serve them well, such as finding an alternative to unhelpful behaviours. Watching clients go from feeling unsure and not worthy to creating an environment for themselves where they can grow and thrive is the most rewarding part of my role. I can relate to this, as I have been that person who always put others before myself. I want to share those insights with you, in a supportive, understanding way.

I intentionally waited to study for my MSc until I had life experience and a broader knowledge base. This has led me to be a better therapist. It is through my own struggles and experience of broken relationships that I have grown as a person. My research on the separation of twins reinforced my desire to support others in being who they are and not who others expect them to be. I bring a compassionate approach to my sessions and a belief in the value of honouring authenticity in oneself. 

The first session takes place after the initial email or phone call. It gives us an opportunity to get a better idea of what working together would be like. I'll ask some questions to ensure I can support you in the journey. I will also give you the time to ask questions and share what's been going on for you in more detail. The first session tends to go quite fast as generally there is a lot people want to talk about, so I allow an 60 minutes rather than the usual 50. From there you can decide if I am the right therapist for you. All sessions cost the same.