Clare Payne, BACP

Clare Payne is a counsellor who offers a calm, person-centred approach. She focuses on what matters to each person day to day, helping them talk through patterns, worries and goals. Clare aims to make sessions straightforward and practical so people can find clearer steps forward.

Clare trained in Integrative Counselling and Coaching, gaining a Postgraduate Diploma at the University of East London. She also completed courses in Person-Centred Counselling and Life Coaching, and uses that mix to work flexibly with different concerns. Her registration with the British Association for Counselling and Psychotherapy is listed as BACP.

In sessions Clare usually starts by exploring what brought someone to counselling and what they hope to change. Early meetings focus on building a working relationship and spotting recurring themes and stuck points. From there she draws on approaches such as Acceptance and Commitment Therapy, Attachment-Based ideas, motivational interviewing and psychodynamic thinking, depending on what fits the person.

Clare works with issues including anxiety, depression, stress, grief, relationship and intimacy-related concerns, LGBT matters, self-esteem, parenting strains, and career-related stress. She also addresses trauma and abuse, compassion fatigue and a range of family of origin and attachment difficulties.

Sessions are 45 minutes and used to understand needs and plan next steps. To begin, people use the Start Therapy button, complete a short matching questionnaire and then schedule according to the therapist's availability.

How Clare’s approaches translate to online counselling

Clare commonly uses Acceptance and Commitment Therapy and Attachment-Based ideas alongside a person-centred frame. ACT helps people notice unhelpful thinking and choose actions that match their values, which can be useful for anxiety, low mood and career or life decisions. Attachment-based work looks at recurring patterns from early relationships to understand how they affect current connections and intimacy-related issues.

Finding the right approach is part of the work together. Clare aims to be collaborative and will help you decide which methods suit your needs, goals and preferences as the therapeutic relationship develops. She tailors sessions rather than using a single fixed method.

The practical benefits of online therapy can include easier fitting of sessions around work or family life and the ability to keep regular appointments without travel. Please confirm the current session options before booking so you know which formats are offered. Clare structures early meetings to clarify goals, build a working relationship and agree how to continue in a way that fits everyday routines.