Who Am I?
My name is Clare Scudds and I am based in North Tonbridge, in Kent, in the South East of England. I am qualified to Advanced Diploma level in counselling and have been seeing clients in person since early 2008. In 2020, I opened up my practice to people throughout the UK via online and telephone counselling.
I love working in a collaborative way with clients, partnering in the sessions to understand the client’s present troubles, how their past may have impacted them and how they want to change for the future. As a counsellor, I take time getting to know each client so I can help and support them in the best way possible. Because my training was integrative, which means it included elements of different counselling models, techniques and approaches, I can tailor my approach to each individual client. We learn together and work together.
The Technical Stuff
My core counsellor training was at Waverley Abbey, Surrey, with CWR. There I completed my Introduction to Biblical Counselling (2004), Certificate in Christian Counselling (2006), Diploma in Christian Counselling (2008) and Advanced Diploma in Christian Counselling (2011). In 2020, I gained a Certificate in Online and Telephone Counselling with Counselling Tutor. In 2022, I completed my Level 5 Certificate in Counselling Young People through The Mindspace Foundation. I also attend CPD (Continued Professional Development) training with a variety of training organisations each year.
As a member of the Association of Christians in Counselling and Linked Professions (ACC) (Mem ACC) and an accredited member of the National Counselling & Psychotherapy Society (NCPS) (MNCPS (Acc.)) I abide by the ethical frameworks set out by these professional bodies. These can be found at https://www.acc-uk.org/wp-content/uploads/2023/08/ACC-Ethics-and-Practice.pdf and https://ncps.com/about-us/code-of-ethics respectively. I am also on the Professional Standards Authority Accredited Register of both these professional bodies and the NCPS’s Children and Young People’s Therapist (CYPT) Accredited Register.
I have professional liability insurance, an enhanced DBS check and regularly refresh my training in safeguarding adults and children. I am based in the UK and only offer counselling to clients within the UK, under the laws and jurisdiction of England and Wales.
My Experience
Having started my counselling career at a counselling charity, I then started up my own private practice, which I do alongside charity work. I have also worked with clients as part of a private counselling company. I have counselled individuals of different races, genders and ages (11+) on a variety of issues, as well as working with couples in relationship counselling. I often work with people troubled by low self-confidence, anxiety, people-pleasing behaviour, challenging relationships, shame and difficult childhood experiences. However, I have helped and supported teens, adults and couples with a wide range of concerns to find healing and freedom and a new lease of life.
I am a committed Christian and work with people of any or no faith without discriminating, proselytising or imposing my personal beliefs. I have training and experience working with faith and spiritual elements within counselling and am happy to discuss and work with issues around faith and spirituality if clients wish to include this.
