Claire Phillips, BACP

Claire Phillips is a BACP-registered counsellor with ten years of professional practice, offering a calm, person-centred approach to therapy. Registered with the BACP, the British Association for Counselling and Psychotherapy, she draws on a decade of clinical experience to create a supportive space where clients can explore difficult thoughts and feelings at their own pace.

She describes her work as rooted in the principles of person-centred practice, providing an environment in which openness to pain and fear can become a path to new perspectives on life and relationships. Embracing complexity in oneself and others is central to her practice, and she aims to help people recognise and build on their existing strengths during the process of healing and self-discovery.

Claire brings a broad practical background to her work. She has lived and worked in South East Asia for over ten years and has spent more than twenty years living and working in South East London, which informs a culturally sensitive way of working. Over the past decade she has worked in NHS surgeries, prisons, and drop-in centres, and has experience supporting children and young adults in care settings. Many of the cases she has worked with involved suicidal ideation, self-harm, and drug or alcohol issues.

She has a strong understanding of the wide-ranging effects of trauma - psychological, cognitive, behavioural and physical - and the consequences of untreated trauma, such as substance or alcohol misuse, depression, dissociation, sexual difficulties, and social withdrawal. Claire seeks to facilitate the healing journey and to help clients discover the strengths that can support them in overcoming life challenges, and she considers it a privilege to be part of that work.

Therapeutic Approaches for Online Support and Growth

Claire integrates several established approaches to support clients online. Client-centred therapy emphasises empathy, unconditional acceptance and a collaborative relationship, helping individuals explore personal feelings and build self-understanding - it is useful for issues like low self-esteem, relationship concerns and coping with life changes. Attachment-based therapy looks at patterns formed in close relationships and how early experiences can influence current emotional responses; it is often helpful for abandonment, attachment issues and intimacy-related difficulties. Cognitive Behavioral Therapy, or CBT, focuses on identifying and gently challenging unhelpful thoughts and behaviours and learning practical strategies to manage symptoms of anxiety, depression and stress.

Finding the right approach is part of the therapeutic journey, and Claire works collaboratively with clients to determine which methods best suit their needs, goals and preferences. She tailors sessions to what will be most helpful, combining elements of different approaches when appropriate.

Online therapy offers practical flexibility - sessions can take place by video call, phone, live chat or text-based messaging - making it easier for clients to access consistent support around work, family or geographical constraints. For many people, the range of remote options helps maintain momentum in therapy and makes it simpler to fit ongoing care into daily life.