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 work is integrative, which means I am trained to use a variety of different psychological approaches. Some approaches are particularly effective at treating certain psychological difficulties.  For example, certain approaches focus more on our thoughts and thinking styles, while others focus on the integration of the mind and body, bringing awareness to the connection between the two and understanding how one impacts the other. We would explore this more during our first session together, once you have shared what it is you would like help with. I then formulate a plan for our work together, with an outline of the therapeutic approaches that might be helpful for you in understanding and coping with your difficulties. 

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

Therapy is always a collaborative process, meaning we are in it together, from the beginning to the end. It is also a flexible and fluid process that can be changed and adapted to meet your needs and expectations. We will regularly explore and review what is/isn't working well for you in our sessions and adjust it accordingly, to ensure the effectiveness and appropriateness of the interventions at all times. This also includes the frequency or duration of your sessions, to ensure that you feel comfortable with the direction that your therapy is going. It is worth noting that a commitment to attending sessions on a regular basis provides the best outcomes and likelihood for meaningful change to occur.

Of course, you can end therapy at any time that feels right for you to do so, and we would plan for this, with an ending session to mark the end 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.

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