Testimonials
I participated in 3 Compassionate Inquiry sessions with Claire over a few months. Each time there was a different issue explored. I've had counselling before but this I found refreshingly different.
I tend to over analyse things as a way of staying above the problem. Claire made sure that I dove into the emotions of the trouble and learned to feel what my body was doing. By reflecting my thoughts back to me and gently focusing me on my inner child, my feelings and my body, we were able to unpick the reasons why I behaved in ways I didn't like.
The changes I wanted were not straight away. They gradually appeared over the course of a few weeks. This was a very gentle way of changing. I enjoyed noticing the small changes that accumulated into the resolution of my goals.
Compassionate Inquiry is still challenging despite the gentleness. I never felt judged. and I felt safe throughout. I highly recommend it.
KG
My CI with Clare helped me to shift some deeply entrenched negative self talks and shame. I would recommend Clare as a practitioner and CI as a methodology to anyone who is struggling to let go of negative self views and enable themselves to treat themselves kinder.
MP
My family and I have all had treatments from Claire over a number of years. I have always found her to be caring and concerned, always showing a high standard of professionalism. Claire will always listen to what I am saying and work to find a resolution. I have had particular success after seeing Claire for long term lower back pain & Migraines caused by Neck problems. I have had great results from both complaints particularly if I maintain the exercise guidelines she has set me. I also saw Claire after a compound fracture to my ankle a couple of years ago, requiring 2 attempts at bone grafts. I truly believe my ankle would not be so functional today without the intensive treatment Claire gave me. With an active family of 5, Claire is our first port of call when requiring treatment, we receive a high standard of treatment that will see us back doing what we love!
CG
I don't normally 'do emotions', but there is something about Claire that made me think I'd give Compassionate Inquiry a go. I still wasn't really sure that I'd be the right kind of person to relax into a session though.
Claire was very calm and welcoming and put me at ease, explaining what we'd be doing, and helping me relax into the session.
I recall I still had a little bit of that perfectionist worry - would I do it 'right'?!
That feeling soon disappeared. With Claire I felt safe and non-judged. It was just like having a gentle conversation involving interesting, non-threatening questions. But questions where I had to listen to what my body was saying, or wanting me to hear, rather than letting my mind jump in with an answer.
This brought up a couple of insights about the stories/assumptions my brain had been telling me over the years, and some 'aha' moments about forgotten memories.
And the emotions came! Which I thought would annoy or embarrass me. But it felt good to release them! Mentally, and physically. After one particular session I had a satisfying glow and sensation of well-being that stayed with me for the rest of the week!
One of my takeaways from CI sessions with Claire is that something in your childhood might have affected you in a traumatic way, that your body still holds onto now, even though you don't, as an adult, perceive what happened as traumatic. That was quite empowering for me. I had the belief that my mainly happy childhood hadn't involved trauma. That my current issues couldn't be explained away by that. Claire helped me realise that, actually, to my 5 year old brain, these events and how I coped with them, were traumatic. That was like taking a weight off my shoulders. There was an instant feeling of relief and letting go.
The other thing I've taken from this is to be curious. To feel a certain way and be okay to sit with the feeling; to sense what my body wants to tell me, is a useful way to gain awareness.
I thought I was done with my sessions but, in writing this, I feel it would be beneficial to be guided through a session with Claire again, with her compassion and attunement helping me gain more insight and positivity to move forward.