Connor Shaw

The easiest way to contact me is by email or through the form below. Tell me a little about what's brought you here and what you're looking for, and I'll get back to you as soon as I can, usually within 48 hours. I work Mondays-Fridays from 0900- 1700 weekdays, but depending on the circumstances, such as mode of delivery and scheduling needs, I can be flexible. 

I offer face-to-face counselling in a private, comfortable room in central Crewe, Cheshire. Exact details of the practice location will be provided once we've had an initial conversation and confirmed your appointment. The room is accessible by public transport and within easy reach of the town centre.

For clients who prefer not to travel, or who live further afield, online and phone, text sessions are available via Zoom, Skype, FaceTime or WhatsApp.

A Bit About How I Work

I'm Connor Shaw, a Â鶹ԭ´´-registered Person-Centred Counsellor (PCC) based in Crewe. I work with adults and adolescents from the age of 16, face-to-face in central Crewe, online or by phone, so wherever you are, there's a way to connect.

Person-Centred Counselling puts you at the heart of everything. I'm not here to hand you solutions or tell you what to do. My job is to create the kind of space where you feel genuinely heard, and from there, the clarity tends to come. I work with a broad range of issues, and I don't shy away from the complex problems people may be struggling with. I also have a limited number of concession spaces available for those on a low income or in full-time education.

As a Person-Centred Counsellor, I see my role as providing a safe space to help you develop the awareness you need to answer the questions that matter to you or achieve the goals that matter to you. I'm not an expert on your lived experience. Only you can be that. What I can offer is a process built on empathy, congruence and unconditional positive regard, in a non-directive way. Which means I won't give you the answers. But the process can bring awareness that aids you in finding them for yourself.

I offer face-to-face counselling and therapy in central Crewe, as well as online and phone sessions for clients across Cheshire and beyond. I work with adults and young people. Before setting up my practice, I volunteered with the British Legion, the British Heart Foundation, the Samaritans, Place2Be and Healthbox CIC, and I am currently with Survive and Place2Be, supporting young persons and adult survivors of childhood abuse. I'm a registered member of the British Association of Counselling and Psychotherapy (Â鶹ԭ´´) and hold a Level 4 Diploma in Therapeutic Counselling, alongside a Diploma of Higher Education in Psychology from the Open University, where I'm currently completing my Undergraduate (BSc) Honours degree in Psychology with the Open University.

What to Expect from Counselling

Counselling gives you a dedicated space to slow down and think. It's not about being told what's wrong or what to fix. It's about building enough awareness to start seeing things differently.

Sessions are confidential, held at a regular time each week, depending on your schedules and needs. There's no pressure to have everything figured out before you arrive.

As your counsellor, my role is to listen properly, to ask the questions worth asking, and to walk alongside you, not ahead of you. Most people find that the process itself starts to shift things.

My Approach

Person-Centred Counselling starts from one simple belief: that you are the expert on your own life. I'm not here to diagnose, advise or direct. My role is to create a genuine, non-judgmental space where you can think, feel and talk without having to edit yourself.

The process is built on three core principles. Empathy, so that you feel truly understood. Congruence, meaning I show up honestly and authentically. And unconditional positive regard, which means you’ll be accepted for who you are and won't be judged, whatever you bring to the room.

What that looks like in practice is a relationship built slowly, carefully and on your terms. Some people arrive knowing exactly what they want to explore. Others aren't sure yet, and that's completely fine. We work at your pace, in whatever direction feels right for you. The awareness tends to follow.

I also offer Eye Movement Desensitisation Reprogramming (EMDR) therapy. 

Initial Consultation

Before we meet, I offer a free 30-minute initial consultation, which can take place in person, online or by phone. This is a great way for you to share what brings you to counselling, where you are currently at and whether we both would like to work together. It is also an opportunity for you to ask any questions about counselling and find out more about the way I work. At the end of this session, we can arrange your first appointment if it feels like a good fit for both of us.

Assessment Session

Before we begin working together, I offer an initial assessment session of approx 75 minutes. It's a relaxed conversation, a chance for us to get to know each other, talk about what's brought you here, and work out whether we're a good fit. There's no commitment required and no pressure to continue.

Issues I Can Help With

People come to counselling for all sorts of reasons, and there's no issue, no matter how big or small, that can't be brought up. I work with adults and young people across a broad range of concerns, including anxiety, low mood, stress, grief, relationship difficulties, trauma and PTSD, health anxiety, and end-of-life and palliative care.

I have particular experience working with neurodivergent clients, including those with ASD and acquired brain injuries, as well as young people who are awaiting a diagnosis or working through questions of identity and self-understanding. I also work with veterans from a lived perspective and with adult survivors of childhood abuse, and I'm experienced in supporting people who've found it difficult to trust and feel secure or to talk, before now.

If you're not sure whether what you're going through fits neatly into any of those areas, don't let that put you off. Most of the time, it doesn't need a label to be worth talking about.