Claire Atkins

My current practice hours are:

Wednesday 10am-4pm

Thursday 10am-8pm 

Friday 10am-8pm. 

Some weekend sessions available.

I am an experienced person-centred counsellor, deeply committed to helping people to understand themselves better and find suitable ways to work through difficult times. In our work together we will focus on what you want to talk about and what feels relevant to you or, you may not know what it is that you want to change but know there is something going on for you that doesn’t feel right. My aim is to provide you with a safe therapeutic space where I will work with you to find the answers you need and work towards developing a better understanding of who you are and how you can become more confident and self-aware. My hope is that the therapeutic space I offer allows you to achieve the healing and personal growth that is important for you to be able to make the positive changes you feel are necessary in your life. I believe that every person has the capacity to reach their full potential and value their self-worth in a world that doesn’t always offer understanding and acceptance. 

People naturally go through tough times, and trying to manage these on your own can sometimes feel especially difficult. Intense emotions might make it harder to function as usual, and finding the best ways to cope isn't always clear. We all experience challenging moments from time to time and facing them on our own can feel overwhelming. When emotions run high, it can disrupt daily routines and make it tough to figure out how to deal with things effectively.

To support your decision-making process in selecting a therapist, I offer a complimentary 20-minute introductory session. During this telephone session, we will discuss your reasons for seeking therapy and talk about your personal goals. This initial consultation provides an opportunity for you to determine whether my approach suits your needs and if I’m a good match for you. Should you wish to proceed, the choice to begin therapy sessions will be entirely yours, with no obligation to commit at the outset.

I describe my practice as a therapy space that offers both counselling and psychotherapy and sometimes a combination of both. People often ask about the difference between counselling and psychotherapy which can be answered in different ways by different people. In my opinion, counselling generally focuses on helping individuals address specific issues or challenges, such as coping with grief or managing stress, and tends to be shorter-term. Psychotherapy, on the other hand, involves exploring deeper patterns of behaviour, thoughts, and feelings, often over a longer period, and can support personal growth and lasting change. In our early conversations, we will work together to determine your preferences around how you want to work or we can remain flexible to discover what works best for you as we go along.

I will listen to you without judgment and help you explore your thoughts, feelings and emotions and work with you to understand these better. I won’t tell you what you should feel, think or do, and I won’t pressure you to focus on things that are too difficult. I will, however, offer a gentle curiosity about your experiencing and support you to feel comfortable to work at a pace that suits you.

I offer online or telephone sessions as well as face-to-face sessions at a location in Enfield. These are typically scheduled on a weekly basis at the same time each week. Each session lasts 50 minutes and is priced at £70. Should you prefer sessions of different lengths, whether longer or shorter, we can discuss these options during our initial meeting. Counselling is generally most effective when conducted on a weekly basis, as this ensures consistency and promotes the development of a strong therapeutic relationship. However, if you prefer fortnightly or less frequent sessions, we can discuss these options during our initial meeting.

If you decide to choose me as your therapist, our first session will be dedicated to defining how we’ll work together. This session will focus on what has brought you to therapy and what you want to achieve, deciding how best we can work together to achieve your desired goals. Our first session will also give you the opportunity to ask any questions you may have about me and how I work or about how therapy might work for you. If you feel more comfortable making a list of things you would like to ask, please do, as I know sometimes we can forget the questions we need answers to, before making a decision about the best way for you to proceed. I would like this first session to offer you a space to gain any clarity you may need and to establish our mutually agreed contract about how we will work together. At the end of our first session there will be an opportunity to reflect on how the session felt for you and find out if any adjustments might be suitable and if the therapy space felt comfortable for your individual needs.

As your therapist, you can expect me to be honest and genuine, and I will treat you with kindness and respect. Throughout our time together, I will adhere to the guidance set out in the British Association for Counselling and Psychotherapy’s ethical framework and will work with you in a way that upholds the principles set out in the framework. This means I am committed to maintaining professional standards, ensuring your wellbeing, and fostering an environment of trust, respect, and confidentiality in all our interactions. My approach is guided by these ethical principles at every stage of our work together, so you can feel confident that your best interests are always at the forefront of our therapeutic relationship. 

If at any time I feel unable to provide you with the support you need, I will discuss this with you and explain why it may be more appropriate for you to find an alternative professional or service that may be better suited to help you.