Clare Payne , BACP

Clare Payne practices from a humanistic, client-centred stance, allowing each session to be shaped by what matters most to the person in front of her on the day. She supports exploration of recurring themes, stuck points, and life patterns while also helping people to clarify and move toward the future they want.

Her training is in Integrative Counselling and Coaching, having completed a Postgraduate Diploma at the University of East London, and earlier studies in Person-Centred Counselling and Life Coaching. This mixed background gives her the flexibility to work with a wide range of concerns and to blend approaches responsively as the work unfolds.

Clare’s default is a person-centred way of working - creating a supportive, pace-led environment where the client’s priorities guide the process. As the therapeutic relationship develops she may draw on additional methods such as cognitive-behavioural techniques, neuro-linguistic programming, or coaching strategies to help clients set and achieve personal goals. She holds BACP status, which denotes membership of the British Association for Counselling and Psychotherapy.

Sessions are typically 45 minutes, and the first few meetings focus on understanding what has brought someone to therapy and what they hope to gain, while also assessing whether the working relationship feels like a good fit. Clare welcomes enquiries and outlines of needs via her website, www.clarepaynecounselling.com, and looks forward to supporting people on their journey.

Approaches Clare Uses and How Online Sessions Work

Clare integrates person-centred practice with evidence-informed methods to support a range of difficulties. Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT) focuses on helping people notice difficult thoughts and feelings, clarify personal values, and take committed action toward a meaningful life - it can be useful for anxiety, stress, and low mood. Attachment-Based Therapy explores how early relationships shape current patterns in intimacy and trust, and it can help with relationship struggles, abandonment concerns, and family-of-origin issues. Client-Centred Therapy places the person at the heart of the process, offering empathic listening and a pace that the client sets to encourage self-understanding and growth.

Finding the right approach is part of the therapeutic journey, and Clare works collaboratively to identify which methods best match a person’s needs, goals, and preferences. She adapts her use of approaches over time, involving the client in decisions about focus and pace so the work feels relevant and manageable.

Online therapy with Clare is offered through video calls, phone sessions, live chat, or text-based messaging, providing practical flexibility for scheduling and access. These options make it possible to engage in regular work from home or other convenient locations, and to choose the communication style that feels most comfortable while progressing toward personal goals.