Claire Oakeley

MSc, DProf, UKCP Reg, BACP accredited

NSPC Roles
Research Supervisors: Masters and Secondary,
Clinical Supervisor,
Teacher,
Approved Therapists

About

I’m a senior accredited psychotherapist with diverse clinical experience. Dual trained in integrative and existential therapy, I’ve worked in private practice since 2012 and have also worked in community, university and NHS primary care settings.

My research interests encompass the multifaceted dynamics of maternal lived experiences. I am particularly interested in experiences such as postnatal anxiety, depression, OCD, and birth trauma. My own doctoral research explored anxiety after childbirth, framed through the lens of existential phenomenology.

Beyond the realm of motherhood, my interests extend to broader themes of mental health, such as anxiety and depression, and the significant life transitions that shape our identities. I am also intrigued by the dynamic process of becoming a therapist, exploring the nuances and transformative journey involved.

My expertise lies in phenomenological research methods, with an emphasis on hermeneutic phenomenology. I am particularly knowledgeable in Van Manen’s Lived Experience approach.

Recent conference presentations include:

  • June 2024 - Authentic Care in Health and Social Care and Education Conference – Greenwich University London. A phenomenological exploration of postnatal anxiety and the implications for psychotherapeutic support
  • Sept 2023 - BACP Private Practice Conference – Central London. Understanding and working with postnatal anxiety 
  • Aug 2023 - British Society for Phenomenology Annual Conference - Manchester Metropolitan University. Anxiety after birth - an existential phenomenological perspective and the implications for therapeutic practice
  • July 2023 - Existential Academy Student Research Conference - Anxiety after birth – a phenomenological perspective.

Professional Affiliations:

  • UKCP Registered Member 
  • UPCA Accredited Clinical Member 
  • BACP Senior Accredited Member 
  • Member of the Society of Existential Analysis (SEA)
  • Member of the British Society for Phenomenology (BSP) 
  • Member of the Society for Reproductive & Infant Psychology (SRIP)

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