Claire Phillips , BACP

Claire Phillips is a UK-based counsellor with over 10 years of professional experience and registration with the BACP - the British Association for Counselling and Psychotherapy, the main professional body for counsellors in the United Kingdom. She practices from a person-centered approach, creating a compassionate, nonjudgmental setting where people can explore difficult thoughts and feelings and gradually develop new perspectives on life and relationships.

Her work has been informed by more than two decades living and working in South East London and over ten years spent living and working across South East Asia, which contributes to a culturally sensitive way of working. Throughout the last decade she has worked in diverse settings including NHS surgeries, prisons, and drop-in centres, and has supported children and young adults in care home environments facing issues such as suicidal ideation, self-harm, and substance misuse.

Claire has developed a strong understanding of trauma and its wide-ranging effects on thinking, behaviour, emotions, and the body, and she is experienced in supporting people whose difficulties include addiction, depression, dissociation, sexual difficulties, and social withdrawal. She aims to help people recognise and build on their own strengths, guiding them toward practical strategies and increased self-awareness. Her practice often focuses on stress, anxiety, addiction, trauma and abuse, self-esteem, relationships, grief, parenting, and a range of other emotional and behavioural challenges. Claire values the opportunity to support others through growth and ongoing self-discovery.

Therapeutic approaches and online support

Claire integrates several well-established approaches into her online work. Attachment-Based Therapy focuses on how early relationships shape current patterns of relating; it helps people understand relationship fears, abandonment concerns, and difficulties with intimacy. Client-Centered Therapy emphasizes a respectful, nonjudgmental therapeutic relationship where the client is seen as the expert on their own experience - this approach supports self-exploration, self-esteem, and personal growth. Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) offers practical strategies to identify and change unhelpful thoughts and behaviours and can be especially useful for anxiety, depression, and stress-related problems.

Finding the right approach is a collaborative process. Claire will work with each person to explore goals, preferences, and practical needs, and together they will decide which methods or combination of methods feel most helpful. The focus is on tailoring the work to the individual rather than applying a one-size-fits-all model.

Online therapy with Claire is available through video calls, phone sessions, live chat, or text-based messaging, offering flexibility for busy schedules and different comfort levels. These options make it possible to access consistent support from a licensed professional without the need to travel, allowing ongoing work to fit around daily life and commitments.