About Claire Winwood

 Hello, I’m Claire, a qualified counsellor and registered member of the British Association for Counselling and Psychotherapy (BACP). I am very proud to have gained much of my practical experience as a counsellor working for Macmillan Cancer Support in Eastbourne and Headway East Sussex (Acquired Brain Injury charity) in Newick. Both of these charities have given me valued counselling experience with life-changing illness and injury, bereavement and the emotional difficulties of anxiety, depression and relationship problems that often occur as a result of such unexpected change. Currently, in addition to my Private Practice work, I am involved with the Support for Survivors of Suicide fast track referral service with Sussex Community Development Association (SCDA) based in Newhaven. I  counsel those who are feeling suicidal or have recently attempted suicide.  I have also supported clients from the Bereaved by Suicide Service and the Rural Domestic Violence Project within SCDA.  This work has given me invaluable experience with the sensitive issues of abuse and trauma.

Before counselling, my first career of approximately 15yrs was as a horticulturalist working within my family horticultural and farming business in Pevensey. This has given me a very good understanding of the pressures of farming and horticultural life and of running your own business.  In the 10 years following, I worked in both Primary and Secondary education in varying roles but most notably as a Teaching Assistant and volunteering as a Parent Governor. During this time, I also spent a short time as a student teacher teaching Science to Key Stage 3. I very quickly understood the pressures of the job and soon acknowledged that I preferred working in a more supportive role, and on a one-to-one basis, and found working as an Individual Needs Assistant particularly rewarding. This was a key factor in my decision to consider training as a counsellor. However, probably the most significant influence on my decision to train as a counsellor came from the experience of receiving counselling myself during a particularly difficult period in my life. I was totally amazed at the restorative effect of being offered a safe, confidential and non-judgemental space to share my pain and worries. Feeling valued and heard and being offered the opportunity to express and understand myself, particularly through creative means, was literally life-changing. A change that has brought me to the here and now, where I now have a genuine passion for offering others that same support and life-changing experience that I so gratefully received.

• BSc (HONS) Combined Sciences
• Diploma in Humanistic Integrative Counselling
• Advanced Certificate in Trauma Focused Therapy
• Certificate in Online and Telephone Counselling
• Certificate in Counselling Children & Young People 11-18 yrs
• Certificate in Autogenic Training

The three core models of counselling that form the basis of my Humanistic Integrative Diploma, are Person-Centred Therapy, Gestalt Therapy and Transactional Analysis Psychotherapy, with additional knowledge of other models including Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT) and aspects of Psychodynamic Theory. I am committed to my Continued Professional Development and regularly attend workshops and online courses to keep my training fresh and up-to-date. I work within the BACP’s Ethical Framework, and I am fully insured and DBS checked.