Claire Bottomley, BACP

Claire Bottomley offers calm, practical support for people feeling overwhelmed by stress, anxiety or difficult life events. She explains things plainly and helps clients work out manageable steps. Claire aims to create a non-judgemental space where people can talk, be heard, and plan changes at a pace that suits them.

Claire holds a First Class Honours degree in Therapeutic Counselling and a Postgraduate Diploma in Cognitive Behavioural Psychotherapy. She is an Accredited member of the British Association for Counsellors and Psychotherapists, BACP. Her background includes work with adults and young people on anxiety, panic, low mood, grief, sexual abuse, relationship difficulties and traumatic experiences.

Her way of working is collaborative and tailored to each person. She focuses on how past experiences affect day-to-day life now, and what can be done differently to feel better. Sessions aim to be practical and rooted in the client’s goals rather than a fixed routine.

Claire draws on a mix of approaches including cognitive behavioural techniques and person-centred listening. She also uses trauma-focused work when needed to help people process distressing events. The emphasis is always on building understanding and small steps towards change.

With five years of professional experience, Claire supports those coping with relationship strain, parenting stress, difficulties with self-esteem, sleep, addiction-related issues, and neurodiverse concerns such as autism and ADHD. She works with matters like grief, anger, body image and life transitions in straightforward, compassionate sessions.

How Claire uses therapy models online and in sessions

Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT) helps people notice difficult thoughts and feelings without letting them drive actions. It focuses on what matters most and small steps towards a valued life, which can help with anxiety, low mood and coping with change.

Client-Centred Therapy centres on empathic listening and building a trusting relationship. It allows people to feel heard and to explore their experience at their own pace, useful when processing grief, trauma and identity concerns.

Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT) looks at links between thoughts, feelings and behaviours and teaches practical ways to break unhelpful cycles. It is often used for anxiety, panic, sleep problems and low mood.

Finding the right approach is part of the work. The therapist will talk with the client about goals and preferences and suggest methods that suit those needs. This is a collaborative process and can change as therapy progresses.

If you are considering online sessions, please confirm which formats are offered before booking as the biography does not list them. Online work can make it easier to fit therapy into busy lives, allow shorter check-ins at lunchtime, avoid travel time and offer options when quieter surroundings or lower bandwidth are needed. Registered or accredited professionals tailor online sessions so they fit the person's day-to-day routine and therapeutic goals.