Claire West

I believe that you are the expert on yourself. My role isn't to tell you what to do or how you should feel, but to be curious about your experience and help you untangle what is happening for you.

I work in an integrative and client-led way, which means I draw on different therapeutic approaches depending on you and what you bring to our sessions. At the heart of my work is the relationship we build together. I want therapy to feel like a space where you can be yourself, without judgement or pressure to have the right words or answers.

We might explore patterns in your life, how past experiences are affecting you now, or the different parts of you that seem to respond in particular situations. Sometimes simply understanding why we react as we do can begin to create space for something to change. Once we have built trust, I may gently challenge some of the ways you see yourself, particularly when those beliefs no longer seem to be helping you.

Talking isn't always the easiest way to express what is going on, so if it feels useful, I can also offer creative ways of working using art materials or clay. You don't need to be artistic or have any experience of using them. Sometimes having something to do with your hands takes the pressure away from talking; at other times, something unexpected emerges that gives us a different way into a conversation. Equally, you may choose never to work creatively at all.

I work with adults and young people aged 13+, supporting people with a wide range of experiences including anxiety, grief and loss, low self-esteem, life changes, relationship difficulties and feeling overwhelmed or stuck. I also particularly enjoy working with people experiencing burnout and with students navigating the pressures of university and postgraduate study.

However you choose to work, therapy is your space. We go at your pace and you remain in control of what we explore.

People come to counselling for many different reasons. You might be struggling with something specific, such as a bereavement, relationship difficulty, anxiety or a significant change in your life. Or perhaps nothing is obviously "wrong", but you feel overwhelmed, stuck, exhausted or simply not quite yourself.

You don't need to arrive knowing exactly what you want to talk about. Part of our work can be making sense of what is happening and beginning to untangle things together.

Before becoming a counsellor, I was a teacher for over 20 years, so I understand some of the pressures that can come with working in education and the gradual process of burnout. I particularly welcome teachers and others who are questioning whether the way they are currently living or working is sustainable.

Being based in Cambridge, I also work with university students and postgraduates. I have experience of supporting PhD students through the particular pressures of completing a doctorate, including uncertainty, isolation, expectations, perfectionism and the question of what comes next.

Alongside talking therapy, I am qualified in Clay Therapy and Creative Arts Therapy. This means that, if you would like to, we can work creatively as part of your counselling. Sometimes it can be difficult to put an experience into words, and using clay, drawing or other creative materials can offer another way to explore it. There is absolutely no requirement to be artistic and no expectation that you work creatively at all.

My practice is inclusive and I welcome clients with different ways of experiencing and communicating with the world. If there is something that would make coming to counselling easier for you, we can talk about that before your first session.

Sessions are by appointment and take place in central Cambridge. My aim is to offer you a space where you can bring whatever is happening for you, without needing to pretend that everything is fine.

Are you frustrated by a world that confuses you? Do you feel you are not accepted for who you are? Are you finding work stressful? Or is overwhelm and anxiety taking over your life?

Counselling can help you feel more at home in the world as you become happy to be who you are and have the tools to manage your emotions. You can step into your future as a human with potential. Having the space to talk about things you wouldn’t talk about to with anyone else can help you see your options, give you agency and feel alive.

I have over twenty years of experience as a teacher, including training the next generation of counsellors. I strongly believe that everyone has the potential for change – even if they don’t see it themselves. I also understand the demands of the teaching profession and am keen to support teachers and support staff to manage stress. This work has included developing self-care workshops for educational establishments.

My personal life includes experience of those who are neurodivergent and queer which has shown me the impact that being accepted and valued for who you are can have on those who feel the world is an alien or threatening place.

I have a keen interest in creative therapy, having seen how it can connect to everyone – especially those who find it difficult to express themselves in words.

Finally, my own experience of therapy means I understand just how transformative therapy can be.

You are the expert on yourself and my role is to help you make sense of your thoughts by listening or working creatively. I provide a safe and non-judgemental space where you are accepted for who you are and wherever you are on your journey.

After your enquiry I will email you to arrange an initial assessment session in my therapy room in St Ives to see if we will work well together and for you to ask any questions. It’s important that you feel comfortable talking to me and this gives you a feel for how I work. 

After this, if you are ready, we make an appointment for you to attend further sessions.

In our first session there is space for you to tell me about your needs and concerns and for you to ask any questions you may have. I’ll ask a few questions about what you are hoping to achieve from counselling and about you and your goals.

In the first couple of sessions we will be getting to know each other, giving you the time to feel safe and comfortable with me.

Usually, we would meet weekly until our relationship is established but you are free to decide the frequency of our sessions. We would also have a discussion about how many sessions you feel you would like - this would be reviewed regularly as we work together. 

Our work is guided by you. You are the expert on yourself and my role is to help you find what you need within you.