Claire Barnes

I believe counselling should feel like a conversation, not an interrogation or a clinical exercise. My approach is warm, down-to-earth and genuine. I offer a space where you can speak openly, feel heard and explore whatever is happening in your life without judgement, pressure or expectations.

As an integrative counsellor, I don’t believe one approach fits everyone. I draw on different therapeutic theories and techniques depending on your individual needs, experiences and goals. Our work is collaborative, meaning we explore things together, at a pace that feels comfortable for you.

I’m particularly interested in attachment, emotional regulation, rejection sensitivity (RSD), ADHD, relationship difficulties and the patterns we develop throughout our lives. Sometimes the way we respond to situations today is connected to experiences we’ve had much earlier in life. Exploring these connections can help us understand ourselves, recognise unhelpful patterns and begin making meaningful changes.

I also work with anxiety, low self-esteem, trauma, grief, family difficulties, chronic illness and significant life changes. I understand that people often come to counselling feeling overwhelmed, confused or simply exhausted from trying to hold everything together.

My sessions aren’t about sitting silently while you do all the talking. I’m an engaged, curious and reflective counsellor who will ask questions, gently challenge where appropriate and help you look at things from different perspectives. There is room for humour, honesty and difficult conversations, alongside compassion and understanding.

I value the therapeutic relationship and believe feeling safe, accepted and understood is central to meaningful change.

Ultimately, my aim isn’t to tell you how to live your life or who you should become. It’s to help you understand yourself better, build confidence in your own decisions and develop ways of moving forward that feel right for you.

Counselling without the waffle

Welcome to StillPoint Counselling – a place to pause, reflect and grow.

I know that reaching out for counselling isn’t always easy, particularly if you’ve spent years putting everyone else first, managing things alone or feeling that nobody really understands what you’re going through.

My practice is built around making counselling accessible, comfortable and human. You don’t need to have everything figured out, know exactly what to say or even understand why you’re feeling the way you do. That’s something we can explore together.

I offer a free 15-minute initial consultation, giving us an opportunity to have a chat, discuss what you’re looking for and see whether I’m the right counsellor for you. There’s no pressure or obligation to book.

If we decide to work together, our first session will focus on getting to know you, understanding what’s brought you to counselling and exploring what you’d like to gain from our time together. We’ll also discuss confidentiality, boundaries and how our sessions will work.

Sessions last 50 minutes, and I offer both regular appointments and flexibility around individual circumstances. I don’t believe meaningful change should be rushed or restricted to a set number of sessions. We can work together for as long as it’s helpful, regularly reviewing your needs and progress.

I understand that finances can be a barrier to accessing support, which is why I offer reduced rates for students, NHS staff, Armed Forces personnel and people receiving means-tested benefits.

You can expect warmth, honesty, curiosity and genuine engagement from me. I’ll listen without judgement, ask thoughtful questions and sometimes gently challenge you to consider things differently. Equally, there will be days when you simply need space to talk, and that’s absolutely fine.

Above all, StillPoint is somewhere you can show up exactly as you are. No judgement, no pressure to have the answers and no need to pretend everything is fine.

Your first counselling session is an opportunity for us to get to know each other, begin building a trusting relationship and explore what has brought you to therapy.

I understand that meeting a counsellor for the first time can feel daunting, particularly if you’re not used to talking openly about yourself. There’s no expectation to share everything straight away, and you certainly don’t need to arrive knowing exactly what to say.

We’ll begin by talking through how counselling works, including confidentiality, its limits, safeguarding, professional boundaries and what you can expect from me as your counsellor. I’ll make sure you understand how your personal information is protected and when there may be circumstances where confidentiality needs to be broken, such as concerns about serious harm. You’ll have plenty of opportunities to ask questions so that you feel informed and comfortable before we begin.

From there, we’ll explore what’s brought you to counselling, what life looks like for you at the moment and anything you feel is important for me to understand.

We may also discuss what you’re hoping to gain from therapy. Some people arrive with clear goals, while others simply know that something doesn’t feel right. Both are absolutely fine. We can identify goals together, and these can change as our work progresses.

I’m particularly interested in understanding you as a whole person, rather than focusing solely on a particular difficulty or diagnosis. Your relationships, experiences, strengths and the ways you’ve learned to navigate life are all important parts of your story.

Building a trusting therapeutic relationship is central to how I work. I want you to feel comfortable being yourself, knowing that you won’t be judged, rushed or expected to share more than you’re ready to.

Our first session isn’t about finding immediate solutions or trying to cover your entire life story in 50 minutes. It’s about making a start, establishing trust.