Claire Emmett

My availability is limited to evenings and weekends at this time, and my therapeutic work is delivered online via Teams or Zoom. However, please do get in touch if you have any specific needs or requirements, and I will aim to accommodate these wherever possible.

Hello, I would like to introduce myself; my name is Claire, and I am an Integrative Psychotherapist.

Making the decision to see a therapist can be daunting. You may recognize that you need some help, but struggle to understand why, or to express exactly what you are feeling or experiencing. Our emotions can be difficult to understand, but they usually tell us that something is out of balance or needs to change. It may be reassuring to know that emotions are universal, meaning that we all have them, and we all struggle with them from time to time. It is part of being human. We can become stuck with certain emotions, feelings or behaviours, and can feel overwhelmed by them, leaving us feeling unhappy. Recognizing that you want help is the first step towards feeling better.

I regard my role as a therapist as providing you with a warm and safe space to explore your difficulties while helping you to regain internal balance and create meaningful change. I draw from different psychological and therapeutic modalities, and select the approach that best meets your needs and goals for change. If this is your first time exploring the option of therapy, it may be reassuring to know that therapy isn’t something that is “done to you”. It is a collaborative approach to finding solutions together, and there is no shame in seeking such support; sometimes we just need a little help with understanding the way we feel.

I have extensive therapeutic experience working with: uniformed services, children and young people, trauma, self-harm, suicidality, low mood, addictions, compulsive behaviours, depression, anxiety, eating disorders, anger management, grief, loss, and other emotional difficulties. I have also worked with elite athletes (figure skaters) who are preparing for national and international competitions.

If you would like an informal chat prior to committing to therapy, please feel free to contact me for further information or to book a session.

My practice is integrative, which means I am trained to use a variety of different psychological approaches. Certain approaches are particularly effective at treating certain psychological difficulties. For example, some approaches focus more on our thoughts and thinking styles, while others focus on the sensations we experience in our body. Others focus on the integration of the mind and body, bringing awareness to the connection between these and how one impacts the other. This would be explored during our first session together, and I would formulate a plan for our work, with an outline of the most appropriate therapeutic approaches for helping you to achieve your goals.

Modalities I am experienced at using include EMDR, CBT, TIST (parts work), Somatic Therapy, Single Session Therapy and Trauma-Focused approaches.

Therapy is always a collaborative process, meaning we are in it together from start to finish. It is a flexible and fluid process that can be adapted to meet your needs and expectations. We will regularly explore what you feel is/isn't working well in our sessions and adjust it accordingly, to ensure the effectiveness and appropriateness of the interventions at all times. This includes the frequency and duration of your sessions, to ensure that you feel comfortable with the direction that your therapy is going. It is worth noting that psychological research indicates a clear relationship between attending regular therapy sessions and the likelihood for meaningful change to occur.

Of course, you can end therapy at any time you choose, and we would plan for this with an ending session to mark the completion of our work together.

I am a fully accredited psychological therapist, which means my practice has been rigorously assessed by the BACP and met the higher standards of competence as an independent and ethical practitioner.

Our first session together will be a structured assessment of your needs, expectations and goals for therapy.  The purpose of the assessment will be to help me understand the current issue(s) you are struggling with, along with identifying historical factors that might impact it, triggers that might maintain it, and protective factors which positively support your emotional health. 

I then create a formulation; this is like a summary or hypothesis which seeks to explain why you might be having certain difficulties and what factors might contribute to their continuation. It will help you to understand the connection between your experiences (past and present), your thoughts, feelings and behaviours, and will outline the most suitable and appropriate therapeutic approaches for you.  As your therapy progresses, we complete session plans and reviews together, so that you are always actively involved in all aspects of the overall therapeutic process.

My price per session is £55, but this is reduced to £50 per session if booked in blocks of 6, and paid for in full.  My lower than average fee per session reflects my belief that psychological therapy should be accessible to everyone seeking support.

Concessions can be negotiated if you are a student. Please do get in touch for further information about this.