Claire Howdle, BACP

Claire Howdle is a counsellor registered with the British Association for Counselling and Psychotherapy (BACP) with five years' experience. She works with adults on issues such as stress, anxiety, depression, relationship and family worries, trauma and abuse, grief, addictions, parenting pressures, anger and problems with self-esteem.

Claire uses a blend of approaches rather than a single method. That means sessions can include thinking about patterns of thought and behaviour, looking at attachment and relationship dynamics, and practicing mindfulness to manage strong feelings. She draws on Acceptance and Commitment Therapy, Cognitive Behavioural Therapy, client-centred ideas and attachment-based ways of working where these fit the person’s needs.

In practice Claire aims for straightforward conversations. She helps people name what is happening, spot the thoughts and actions that keep problems going, and try small changes between sessions. When anger or resentment comes up, she works on understanding what drives those feelings and on practical steps to reduce explosions and simmering frustration.

Her background includes supporting people after childhood abuse and domestic or emotional abuse, and helping those facing identity questions, relationship breakdown and addiction. Claire also works with issues such as grief, caregiver stress, body image and attachment difficulties.

She offers a respectful, non-judgemental approach and helps people set realistic goals they can work on week to week. To begin, readers are asked to use the site’s matching process and schedule an initial session to see if the style feels right.

How Claire’s approaches translate to online work