Nicola Claydon, NCPS

Nicola Claydon helps people facing relationship problems, trauma and abuse, intimacy concerns, depression and compassion fatigue. She also supports people dealing with addictions, LGBT-related issues, parenting strain, anger, low self-esteem, career changes and the impact of ADHD. Nicola works in a direct, respectful way and focuses on what matters to each person she meets.

Her sessions aim to be calm and non-judgemental. Nicola believes the client is the expert on their own life and that therapy is a partnership. She listens closely, asks clear questions and gently challenges patterns that get in the way of daily life.

Nicola uses approaches that look at how early relationships shape us, how our thoughts affect how we feel, and how being present can change stress responses. She brings ideas from attachment-based, cognitive behavioural and mindfulness approaches into practical exercises and everyday language.

Her early placements included supporting adult survivors of sexual abuse and working with families bereaved by suicide. She later supported care workers after lockdown and worked with people in supported accommodation following homelessness. That varied experience informs how she responds to complex needs.

Nicola holds the NCPS credential and has four years of professional experience. She sees people in the United Kingdom and offers sessions in English. Therapy aims are set together and tailored to the pace each person prefers.

How Nicola’s approaches translate to online therapy

Attachment-based work looks at how early relationships influence present patterns. Nicola helps people notice how past bonds affect trust and closeness, and she supports making new, healthier ways of relating that reduce anxiety in relationships.

Cognitive behavioural ideas focus on the link between thoughts, feelings and actions. In sessions she helps people identify unhelpful thoughts and try small behaviour changes, which can ease symptoms of depression or worry.

Mindfulness approaches teach simple ways to be more present and less led by strong emotions. Nicola uses brief grounding exercises and awareness practices that people can use between sessions to manage stress and reactivity.

Finding the right approach is part of the work. Nicola treats therapy as a collaborative process and will discuss preferences, goals and what feels most useful. Together she and the client decide which methods to try and adjust the plan as needed.

Online formats offer practical benefits. Video calls allow face-to-face conversation and non-verbal cues, phone sessions can be easier when bandwidth is limited, live chat suits brief check-ins, and text messaging helps keep progress between appointments. These options make it simpler to fit therapy around work, family and other commitments while keeping the focus on making steady, usable changes.