Hi, my name is Clare. I am a child and adolescent counsellor using the arts. I take a genuine interest in young people and enjoy engaging with them in an informal approach. Sometimes, young people aren’t able to talk about how they feel. I offer an alternative means of expressing complex or painful experiences that may otherwise be difficult to convey in words alone. It’s vital to offer ways of communicating feelings other than through everyday language, for example, with paint, clay, music, drama or sand play. I will always follow the child’s lead, as my first priority is for the child/young person to feel relaxed and comfortable with me, and in the room. The space is their’s completely and it is my aim that they begin to feel free to be themselves and that they feel heard. There is a range of art materials to use but also they may just choose to talk. The sessions do not require any skills in art as the emphasis is on the process. 

I originally trained as an Art teacher working in secondary schools. I spent 20 years working with the arts and crafts in social care with young adults before embarking on a training as a counsellor. My working week is divided between my private practice, which I run from home, and as a school counsellor.