Clare blissett

Accredited Cognitive Behavioural Therapist (CBT)

Clare blissett

Accredited Cognitive Behavioural Therapist (CBT)

Pronouns: She/Her

I am a personable and empathic therapist with over fourteen years of experience supporting people with their mental health and well being in a variety of settings.

My background is in occupational therapy working in a hospital and outpatient setting for people with acute and severe and enduring mental health problems.  Qualifying in cognitive behavioural therapy (CBT) in 2009, I have since worked as a psychotherapist in both the NHS and more recently the private sector.   

As a CBT therapist, I am experienced in helping people who are struggling with anxiety (such as excessive and uncontrollable worry, panic, health anxiety, social anxiety and post-traumatic stress disorder),  as well as depression and low self-esteem. 

In therapy, we will work as a team to understand and overcome the problems you are facing.  I believe therapy should be empowering, working towards my clients goals, at their own pace and enabling them to feel confident in how to manage and maintain the improvements they make when therapy has finished.  My approach is warm and none judgemental and I am keen to encourage self-compassion.

Problems Clare is highly experienced in treating;

• Anxiety - Stress

• Anxiety - Agoraphobia

• Generalised Anxiety Disorder (GAD)

• Health Anxiety

• Panic / Panic Attacks

• Performance Anxiety

• Social - Anxiety

• Phobias

• Emetophobia (Specific Fear of Vomit)

• Depression - Low Mood

• Depression - Major

• Depression - Seasonal Affective Disorder

• Low Self-Esteem

• Obsessive Compulsive Disorder (OCD)

• Perfectionism

• Trauma - Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD)

• Trauma - Road Traffic Accidents

• Work - Stress

• Clare is highly experienced in all evidence-based practices for all the listed disorders, including exposure response prevention (ERP) for the treatment of OCD.

Therapeutic approaches Clare uses in her therapy;

• BABCP Accredited CBT Therapist

• Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT)

• Compassionate Focused Therapy (CFT)

• Acceptance & Commitment Therapy (ACT)

• Exposure Response Prevention (ERP)

• Mindfulness

Clare Works with:

• Adolescents (16 - 18 Years)

• Adults (19-65+ Years)

Feedback from Clare’s clients.

“The therapy offered me anew path to fight by illness and taught me another way of thinking” Annonymous

“It has been a great help and I am very fortunate to have met you Clare” Annonymous

“Thank you for all your help Clare, it has made a huge difference to me” Annonymous

Qualifications & Training

• Accredited CBT Therapist. BABCP membership number: 090758

• PG Diploma in CBT (2009)

• BSc (Hons) OT (2005)

What is CBT?

Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT) is an evidenced based & well researched talking therapy. It is recommended by the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) for many mental health problems.

It is most commonly used to treat anxiety and depression, but can be useful for many other mental and physical health problems.

CBT focuses upon how your thoughts and behaviours impact upon your emotions and physical symptoms.

CBT is collaborative treatment and typically involves doing homework tasks between appointments.

It aims to teach you to become your own therapist, teaching you tools so you can keep using the strategies and techniques you have learned after you have finished therapy.

What is ACT?

Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT) is a form of cognitive behavioural therapy that focuses on helping individuals live a meaningful and fulfilling life while accepting the thoughts and feelings that are beyond their control. Rather than trying to eliminate difficult emotions, ACT teaches skills to observe, accept, and respond to them in ways that align with your personal values.

ACT uses mindfulness and acceptance-based techniques to help you build psychological flexibility — the ability to stay present, adapt to challenges, and make choices guided by what truly matters to you.

What is CFT?

Compassion Focused Therapy (CFT) is a therapeutic approach designed to help individuals who experience high levels of shame, self-criticism, or self-blame. It draws upon neuroscience, evolutionary psychology, and mindfulness to develop compassion for oneself and others.

CFT helps you understand how your brain and emotions work, particularly how the body’s threat and soothing systems influence how you feel and respond to situations. By cultivating self-compassion, CFT supports emotional regulation, builds resilience, and promotes healing through kindness and understanding.

Integrating CBT, ACT, CFT and Mindfulness

Clare draws upon CBT, ACT, CFT, and Mindfulness to offer a flexible, evidence-based, and deeply compassionate approach to therapy. This integrative method allows her to tailor treatment to each individual’s unique needs and difficulties.

By combining the practical, goal-focused strategies of CBT with the acceptance and values-based principles of ACT, Clare helps clients make meaningful changes while learning to relate to their thoughts and feelings in healthier ways. Incorporating CFT enables her to address underlying shame and self-criticism with warmth and compassion, while mindfulness techniques support clients in developing present-moment awareness and emotional balance.

This blend of therapeutic approaches provides Clare with a powerful toolkit to effectively support those struggling with anxiety, depression, trauma, OCD, and other emotional or behavioural difficulties, promoting both lasting change and genuine self-understanding.