Claire Cotgrove , BACP

Claire Cotgrove offers a calm and accepting space for people exploring gender, sexuality and neurodivergence. She works in a straightforward way, listening first and helping you name what matters. Sessions aim to reduce shame, make sense of difficult experiences, and support clearer choices about relationships and identity.

Claire uses a person-centred approach that keeps the person at the centre of sessions. That means she follows the client's lead, reflects what she hears and helps people find their own answers. She often brings warmth and simple, practical questions to help untangle confusing feelings.

She also draws on trauma-focused ways of working when past harm makes day-to-day life hard. This involves gently looking at how upsetting events affect thinking, emotions and relationships. The focus is on pacing the work, building safety, and helping people feel more in control over time.

Claire has three years of experience and holds BACP accreditation from the British Association for Counselling and Psychotherapy. Her practice covers a range of concerns including LGBT matters, relationship problems, intimacy-related issues, ADHD and trauma and abuse. She tailors the pace and content of sessions to each person's needs.

People can expect a conversational style. Claire may suggest creative ideas to help expression when words feel limited. She supports exploration about identity, boundaries, attachment and coping, always aiming for clearer thinking and more manageable next steps.

How person-centred and trauma-focused work translate online

Claire uses person-centred therapy to prioritise what the client brings to sessions. This approach focuses on listening, empathy and helping the client find their own answers. It suits people who want a supportive space to explore identity, relationships and self-esteem.

She also uses trauma-focused therapy when past events continue to affect everyday life. This approach looks at how difficult experiences shape feelings and patterns, and it progresses at a careful, manageable pace. It can help with trauma, abuse and coercive relationships by building clearer understanding and practical coping strategies.

Finding the right approach is part of the work. Claire will talk with clients about goals, preferences and what feels manageable. Together they decide which methods to try and adjust the plan as needed, keeping the process collaborative.

Online therapy here includes video calls, phone sessions, live chat and text-based messaging. Video calls allow face-to-face conversation when that helps. Phone sessions use less bandwidth and can be easier when a quicker check-in is needed. Live chat and messaging suit shorter reflections or ongoing support between longer sessions. These options offer flexibility for appointments, fitting therapy around work, family and daily life while keeping the focus on steady progress.