Claire Cotgrove , BACP

Claire Cotgrove is a BACP-credentialed person-centred counsellor based in the United Kingdom with three years of clinical experience. She works with people navigating LGBTQIA+ identity, neurodivergence and relationship challenges, and supports those affected by trauma, coercive or abusive dynamics, shame, and guilt. Her practice also addresses intimacy-related concerns, ADHD, family and blended family issues, and a range of related difficulties such as attachment and abandonment, gender dysphoria, and sexual expression within BDSM and kink contexts.

Claire frames her work around a person-centred philosophy that places the individual at the heart of therapy, bringing warmth, non-judgmental attention, and empathy to the therapeutic relationship. She draws on life experience alongside professional training to offer compassionate listening and to help clients explore their feelings, values, and goals. Creative therapy options are available as part of her approach for clients who find nonverbal or expressive methods helpful.

Her practice supports people through life transitions, loss, communication and commitment issues, and the emotional aftermath of domestic and religious abuse. As a BACP member - the British Association for Counselling and Psychotherapy - she holds a recognised professional credential indicating membership of a national counselling body. Her work aims to help people develop self-understanding, build resilience, and move toward greater acceptance and empowerment.

Therapeutic approaches for online care

The practice integrates client-centred therapy, which focuses on creating a supportive, non-judgmental space where the client leads the pace and content of sessions. This approach helps people build self-awareness, self-acceptance, and clearer personal goals by prioritising empathy and respect for the client’s lived experience.

Trauma-focused therapy is also used to address the impact of traumatic events and relational harm. This approach helps clients process traumatic memories and related emotions in a structured way, supporting recovery from abusive or coercive experiences and the feelings that follow.

Finding the right approach is part of therapy itself. Claire works collaboratively with each person to identify which methods best suit their needs, goals, and preferences, and can adapt techniques as the relationship and progress evolve. Licensed professionals and therapists often combine elements from different models to tailor care to the individual.

Online sessions by video call, phone, live chat, or text-based messaging make therapy more flexible and easier to fit into daily life. These options allow people to engage from home or another convenient location, reduce travel time, and provide multiple ways to communicate depending on comfort and accessibility. Online formats can support consistent attendance and make it simpler to maintain momentum between sessions.