Claire Cotgrove

Claire Cotgrove is a BACP counsellor practising in the United Kingdom with three years' experience. She works with people who are questioning identity, feeling stuck after a life change, or dealing with trauma and relationship problems. Claire also helps people navigating issues related to ADHD, intimacy, and LGBTQ concerns.

She offers a person-centred way of working that keeps the conversation focused on what matters to the client. Sessions are shaped around the client’s experiences and goals, with Claire listening and responding to what comes up. Creative approaches may be used alongside talking where they suit the person.

Claire uses trauma-focused approaches when past harm is affecting present life. That means paying attention to how difficult events influence feelings, relationships, and daily routines. The work aims to reduce the hold of shame, guilt, and ongoing distress so people can make clearer choices about next steps.

Her experience includes supporting people who have faced coercive or abusive relationships, religious trauma, and other forms of harm. She also works with people exploring gender and sexuality, autistic traits, and the practical effects of chronic illness or pain on day-to-day life. Claire describes the time in sessions as centred on what the client brings and how they want to move forward.

People who come when they feel uncertain about the future can expect practical conversation about relationships, boundaries, communication, and finding direction. Claire encourages short-term and longer-term work depending on what a person needs and how they want to proceed.

How Claire uses client-centred and trauma-focused work online

Client-centred therapy places the person’s own priorities at the heart of the sessions. The counsellor listens without directing the outcome and helps the person clarify what matters. This approach is useful for people who feel unsure about next steps or want a space to make sense of life changes.

Trauma-focused therapy looks at how difficult experiences affect feelings, behaviour and relationships now. It involves working with memories and reactions so those experiences take up less space in day-to-day life. This can help with symptoms of past abuse, relationship harm, or ongoing shame and guilt.

Deciding which approach to use is part of the work. Claire will discuss options with the client and agree a route that fits their needs, goals and preferences. The choice is collaborative and can change as the work develops.

Confirm current session options before booking because formats are not listed here. Online work can make it easier to fit sessions into a busy week, reduce travel time, or allow shorter check-ins when needed. For practical reasons people choose online sessions to be present without a commute, manage energy on difficult days, or avoid camera use on some occasions. Registered or accredited professionals often discuss these practicalities at the first meeting to agree what will work best.