Claire Cotgrove

Claire Cotgrove offers a calm, accepting space for people feeling isolated or struggling to connect. She welcomes conversations about sexuality, gender and neurodivergence, and listens without judgement. Claire aims to help people feel more understood and less alone while they work through painful experiences.

Claire trained as a person-centred counsellor and uses that way of working to keep the focus on the person in front of her. Sessions are led by what matters to the client, with the counsellor alongside to reflect, clarify and offer steady support. She also draws on trauma-focused approaches when past harm or abuse is part of the picture.

People come to Claire with a wide range of concerns. These include LGBTQ issues, trauma and domestic abuse, relationship and intimacy problems, ADHD and neurodivergence, and questions about gender and identity. She also works with grief, chronic illness, communication difficulties and other painful life changes.

Her style is warm and non-judgemental, with an emphasis on being heard and understood. Creative options may be offered to help people find new ways to express themselves when words alone feel difficult. Sessions aim to make gradual change feel achievable rather than abrupt.

With three years of practice and life experience that shapes her work, Claire focuses on building a reassuring therapeutic relationship. The time spent together is centred on the person attending, helping them explore feelings, make sense of their history and find ways to move forward.

How Claire's approaches translate to online therapy

Claire uses person-centred counselling to keep the work grounded in what the client brings. That approach focuses on listening, reflecting and supporting the person's own process, which can fit into online sessions as well as in-person work. Trauma-focused methods are used when past harm needs careful attention; these approaches aim to help people make sense of traumatic events and reduce their hold on day-to-day life.

Finding the right approach is part of the therapeutic process. Claire will work collaboratively to identify what feels most helpful, adjusting methods as goals and needs become clearer. The client and counsellor decide together how to proceed so the work matches preferences and comfort levels.

The practical benefits of online therapy include fitting sessions into busy days and avoiding travel, which can make it easier to keep regular contact. Online work can also allow quieter check-ins or shorter conversations when life is hectic. Exact session formats are not specified here, so confirm current options before booking to make sure they match your routine and needs.