Claire Avril

I am an psychotherapist based in Sale, South Manchester, working with individuals and couples who are seeking psychologically informed support during periods of emotional strain, relational difficulty, or personal transition. 

I have 13 years experience of working with individuals, and over 25 years within the mental health field.

My approach integrates Person-Centred Therapy, Cognitive Behavioural Therapy, and Expressive Arts. This allows me to work both reflectively and practically, tailoring therapy to the individual or couple, with careful attention to emotional safety, insight, and sustainable change.

I have 10 experience working with couples, particularly those navigating high-conflict dynamics, power imbalances, breakdowns in communication, and breaches of trust, including infidelity.

My work is grounded in relational intelligence, helping couples understand the emotional and psychological patterns shaping their relationship, rather than focusing solely on surface-level behaviours. This supports deeper understanding, repair where possible, and clarity where decisions feel complex or uncertain.

I am trauma-informed and work with adults experiencing anxiety, chronic stress, emotional dysregulation, and difficulties with self-worth or identity. 

I support clients to explore how past experiences continue to influence present responses, while developing greater emotional regulation, stability, and self-trust.

I also work with neurodivergent individuals, including those adjusting to a recent diagnosis, supporting both emotional processing and practical adaptation within work, relationships, and daily life.

My therapy space offers a calm, confidential, and professionally held environment. I work with care and precision, listening without judgement and maintaining a steady therapeutic presence.

I do not rush the work, but I am purposeful and attentive to progress and have a very high success rate in achieving outcomes.

Alongside reflective exploration, I offer clear psychoeducation and evidence-informed strategies to support emotional regulation, anxiety management, and resilience.

Therapy with me focuses on strengthening emotional insight, increasing psychological flexibility, and supporting clients to engage with their lives and relationships with greater confidence and clarity.

I also work with a therapy dog, Rudy Wigglesworth, a Goldador who may be requested to attend sessions, either as quiet companionship or within planned animal-assisted therapeutic work.

In my studies I have specialised in Human Communication, Person Centred Counselling, Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT) and Trauma and Resilience. 

I am a trauma informed therapist and use creative/expressive arts, and linguistics to encourage you to explore and express yourself more freely. 

I am a member of the British Association for Counselling and Psychotherapy (BACP) and abide by their Ethical Framework for the Counselling Professions.

I am police checked with an Enhanced DBS.

I offer counselling and psychotherapy via: face to face, Zoom, telephone, email, WhatsApp, or home visits. I also facilitate therapy walks in nature, to talk while we walk.

I am based in Sale, South Manchester.

I offer a safe and calm space where I will listen to you and fully hear you. I will also provide a place of acceptance, non-judgement and authenticity.  

Please note that I offer sessions at a concessionary rate, as I am keen to ensure that therapy is accessible for all. This is for students, or individuals on a low income.

The first session is a free 20 minute chat, which can be over the telephone, face to face or video call. 

This will be an opportunity for you to get a sense as to whether or not you would feel comfortable working alongside me on your therapy journey. If you have any questions or require any further information please do not hesitate to get in touch, as I will be happy to assist.

My supervisory practice is grounded in person-centred principles and delivered through an integrative framework informed by trauma-aware practice, relational intelligence, and expressive approaches. I work using the Seven-Eyed Supervision Process Model, which allows supervision to move flexibly between the client work, the supervisee’s experience, the therapeutic relationship, and the wider organisational and ethical context.

This model provides a clear yet adaptable structure, supporting supervisees to explore clinical material in depth while also attending to process, impact, and professional responsibility. It enables us to consider not only what is happening in the therapy, but how it is happening, including relational dynamics, ethical considerations, and the influence of context and systems.

I view supervision as a collaborative and relational process that supports safe and effective practice, ethical decision-making, and the development of sound clinical judgement. Sessions are structured yet reflective, offering space to explore both client work and the emotional and professional impact of the work on the practitioner. 

I aim to create a calm, containing, and ethically robust supervisory space, balancing support with appropriate challenge. I support supervisees to work thoughtfully with complexity, risk, and uncertainty, while staying connected to their therapeutic identity, values, and wellbeing.

I offer clinical supervision to trainee and qualified counsellors and psychotherapists working with adults, couples, and young people.

My supervisory practice is grounded in the BACP Ethical Framework and focuses on supporting safe, ethical, and reflective clinical work.. I aim to provide a professionally held and psychologically safe supervisory space in which supervisees can think clearly about their work, develop confidence, and strengthen their clinical judgement.

My approach to supervision is integrative, relational, and trauma-informed. Sessions offer space to explore client work in depth, alongside ethical decision-making, professional responsibilities, and the emotional impact of therapeutic practice. I support supervisees to work thoughtfully with issues such as risk, safeguarding, boundaries, and complexity, while remaining attentive to organisational and training requirements.

I place strong emphasis on the supervisory relationship, recognising the importance of clear contracting, role clarity, and appropriate use of power within supervision. We will collaboratively explore clinical material and relational processes, including transference and countertransference, supporting the development of reflective capacity and sound clinical thinking.

For trainee therapists I offer a supportive, structured, and containing space to develop competence, confidence, and professional identity. Being mindful of training requirements, placement expectations, and assessment processes, and I support trainees to integrate theory with practice, manage anxiety, and work safely and ethically.

For qualified and experienced practitioners, supervision provides space for deeper reflection, ethical consideration, and professional accountability. Where we can manage complexity, sustain effective practice, and attend to practitioner wellbeing and resilience.

My supervision is developmental and restorative, responsive to the supervisee’s experience, caseload, and professional context.

I welcome supervisees from a range of therapeutic orientations and work collaboratively to ensure supervision is appropriately matched to both professional requirements and individual needs.

Supervision is available online, in person, by telephone, and, where appropriate, via home visits.

I currently have availability for new supervisees from mid-February 2026.

The first session is offered as a free initial consultation. This meeting provides an opportunity to discuss expectations, supervision requirements, and practical working arrangements, and to consider whether we feel professionally aligned and comfortable working together. We will also explore your current role, clinical context, and any training, organisational, or placement requirements relevant to supervision.

In line with BACP Ethical Framework and supervision contracting guidance, this initial session supports transparency, informed consent, and clear agreement around roles, responsibilities, boundaries, confidentiality, safeguarding, and review processes before any ongoing supervisory work is agreed.

What to prepare for the first session:

You may find it helpful to reflect on your current caseload, supervision requirements (including training or organisational expectations), areas of confidence or challenge in your work, and what you are hoping to gain from supervision. There is no expectation to prepare formal material; this conversation is exploratory and supportive.

This initial consultation is intended to ensure that any supervisory relationship is ethically sound, clearly contracted, and appropriate for both parties before proceeding.