Claire Shepherd

Therapy Slots Available June - September 2025

Monday 10am - 8pm

Tuesday 10am -8pm

Thursday 10am-8pm

Friday 1pm-8pm

Saturday 10am-12pm

I consider being a therapist a vocation, rather than work.  I teach Integrative counselling and I offer it as part of my private practice, with concessions to student counsellors in recognition of the very large financial commitment and investment made to achieve a qualification.

I qualified as a Person-centred therapist.  I consider the Core Conditions of Empathy, Congruence, and Positive Regard to be a part of my way of being.  At the start of the 20+ years that I have been a therapist, I came to recognise that one model of therapy does not suit all characters, cultures, and social backgrounds. To enable me to offer inclusive therapy to all clients, rather than expecting the client to fit my model of therapy I became an Integrative therapist.  I now offer elements of Gestalt, Existentialism, Transpersonal, TA, and CBT, depending on what empowers my clients and how they chose to work.

I believe strongly in the power of creative interventions to provide access to thoughts, feelings, and emotions that teeter on the edge of awareness.  I believe creativity gives expression to experiences, memories, feelings, and emotions that cannot, for whatever reason, be put into words.  Yet, also allows words to flow uncensored, in a safe, confidential, space as a cathartic expression of pent up, internally censored emotions that need releasing. I have been offering creative interventions in my private practice for over 15 years, first in-the-room and now online.

I actively support equality, diversity, and inclusion, and believe in a persons right to autonomy over their own body.

I currently work online, I chose to work in this way as it feels inclusive and reduces the power imbalances that are often present in, in-the-room therapy.  I teach as part of a 2 year course,  12-days of online and phone therapy to counselling students, which, in my opinion, is one of the best ways to keep up to date with regulations and maintain excellent ethical practice.

I offer a variety of counselling session slots, which I hope allow for busy schedules, work and family commitments.  All slots, whether day time, evenings, or weekend, have the same fee.  All 30 minute assessment sessions, are free of charge and without obligation.  I feel strongly that no one should be asked to pay to find out if they can relate to a therapist, it is such an important and personal experience.

My online sessions are offered via Teams as a secure platform, camera's can be on or turned off.  Pre-information is always sent before such a meeting to help you to decide if working in this way is right for you.  

If after your free initial 30 minute assessment session, we agree to work together, we will spend time in contracting so that you know what to expect from me and, for example, where you stand around issues such as cancelling sessions, rescheduling, etc.  Contracts are sent in advance, yet time can be spent with me reading it to you if that is your preference, explaining meanings and clarifying phrasing. 

We also spend some time in completing a background information form so that we can work safely and ethically together.  This is particularly relevant if for example, you have a medical emergency during our session.  It is therefore, necessary for you to be able to supply your full name, address, registered GP/medical practice, and details of any medication that you are currently taking.

After the above paperwork has been completed the session is yours to direct as you see fit.