"Clare has changed my life.
Thanks to her, I am now in a much happier, more contented place than I have been for many years. Her professionalism, knowledge and empathy offers a safe, but positively challenging environment. She is warm, supportive and incredibly patient and I truly owe her more than I can ever repay." (Mike, Farnham, 2018)
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"Clare is warm, empathetic and supportive. She took the time to explain the models she used to gain insight, and these in turn have become tools that I can, and do, apply in the wider world. This has helped me to better recognise and feel at ease with my emotions and improve my understanding of the dynamics of interactions with others. Perhaps most important, she has helped me to move from a relatively closed state to one in which I can see, and am open to new possibilities. For this, I am truly grateful."
(Paul, Farnham, 2020)
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Clare Pointon Therapy, Farnham
I am an experienced psychotherapist and counsellor in Farnham, qualified, accredited and working for 23 years in private practice, the NHS, Higher Education and the voluntary sector.
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I support people with a range of difficulties including anxiety, depression, relationship issues, loss, separation, divorce, family issues, identity (personal, sexual, gender), infertility, work life choices, parenting, personal development and Long Covid.
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I regularly work with psychotherapy and counselling students in training.
I see people face to face in my consulting room in south Farnham, online or by phone to suit you.
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I believe we all have the power to bring about change in our lives. Coming to therapy can be the first step on the path to making it happen.
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My psychotherapy and counselling approach is integrative which means I can draw on a range of approaches - humanistic, psychodynamic and cognitive behavioural therapy - to create the best fit for you and your needs. Here are some of the ways I approach familiar counselling and therapy themes:
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Therapy for Anxiety:
It is important to understand the root causes of anxiety as these feelings don't come out of nowhere and aren't likely to spontaneously disappear. Therapy can help explore the source of the issue, as well as offering practical coping strategies to improve wellbeing. Get in touch.
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Therapy for Depression:
Depression, like anxiety, can be debilitating and make it hard to function. Therapy can help us understand why we feel the way we do, as well as providing a safe space in which over time we give words to feelings that we may have learned to keep a tight lid on. This can provide immense relief, release and new energy. If you would like to talk about depression please Get in touch.
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Therapy for Relationship Issues:
Learning in therapy about our own unique way of relating to others can be helpful if we want to identify where we are struggling in our relationships. It can allow us to explore what we want in our relationships, what we may need to change in order to achieve this, as well how we may be stopping ourselves from creating what we want. If you would like to talk about any relationship issues please Get in touch.
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Therapy for Loss:
Coming to terms with loss, whether a personal bereavement or the loss of something significant in our life such as a relationship, a job or a home can take time and be complex. Therapy offers a private space in which this can be mourned and its meaning for us and our identity can be explored. Contact me.
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Therapy for Separation and Divorce:
Considering, going through and moving on from separation and divorce are times when therapy can help us to gain clarity and work through difficult feelings which we may not be ready to share with others in our lives. Therapy may also be a place where we explore and consider the practical implications of these processes for us and those we care about. Get in touch.
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Therapy for Family Issues:
It is in our original families that we learn our way of being in the world. However, when relationships in these units don't work well, cause us distress or are abusive, therapy can be a place to understand what we are able to do about this. Individual therapy can be a safe place to gain clarity and insight for ourselves and sometimes we may decide that we want a referral to a family therapist. If you would like to talk please get in touch.
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Therapy for Identity Issues:
Working out who we are - in general in the world, as sexual beings and as beings with or without a gender label - is not always straightforward. Therapy can provide a confidential accepting environment in which to explore aspects of ourselves that others may or may not yet see and which we may be in the processing of getting to know, ourselves. Get in touch.
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Therapy for Infertility Issues:
Infertility and the journey it launches us on can be extraordinarily lonely for individuals and couples alike. Therapy offers us the chance to explore the options we have and how we feel about them, including the process of coming to terms with our losses and/or embarking on and supporting ourselves during what is often very expensive treatment with uncertain outcome. Contact me.
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Therapy for Worklife Issues:
As much as it can provide meaning and security, our work - workplaces and colleagues - sometimes trigger significant stress, anxiety and depression in our lives which, over time, compromise mental and physical health. Therapy can help us evolve strategies for managing these stresses and dealing with difficult interpersonal dynamics, whilst building assertiveness, and self-confidence at work. It can also support us to consider change to improve our work/life balance. Get in touch.
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Therapy for Parenting Issues:
As parents, we will, whether we realise it or not, often bring our experience of being parented to the job of raising our own children. Therapy can help us to explore where this may be tripping us up, as well as to develop supportive strategies for dealing with the challenges of parenting today, the complexities of co-parenting relationships and single parenting. Talk with me about parenting issues.
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Therapy for Personal Development:
It may not always be when things are going wrong that we seek out a therapist or counsellor. There are times in life when we choose to reflect a bit more deeply on our lives, whether we are seeking to improve a particular aspect of it, seek more meaning from it or perhaps we are even invited or required as part of a (counselling / therapy or other) training to undertake a course of therapy. These times can be great opportunities. Get in touch to talk about therapy for personal development.