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About Me
ClaireSmith
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Registered Counsellor, Mother & Founder of Oakstead Therapy
You're doing your best to hold it all together. But let's be real here. Motherhood is more than just a little overwhelming. I'm here to help you find your footing, reconnect with yourself, and feel more calm, clear, and confident in the messy middle of it all.
I created Oakstead Therapy because I know what it's like to feel stretched thin, second-guessing everything, and wondering where you went in the process of becoming a mum. You were never meant to figure this out alone. And you definitely don't have to.
My passion is helping women and mothers feel more like themselves. I bring both lived understanding and professional support to help you feel more grounded, capable, and connected in your journey as a woman.
What It's Like to Work With Me...
✿ I offer a space where you don't have to filter yourself. Bring the tears, the swearing, the silence. It's all welcome here.
✿ I'll help you unpack your thoughts, feelings, and patterns.
✿ I love sharing practical tools, mindset shifts, and "ohhh, that makes sense now" moments. (I LOVE lightbulb moments!!)
✿ We'll build skills you can actually use in real life - not just in theory. They will help you feel calmer when things get too much, build routines that cater to your life, and somewhere along the way you'll find the weight on your shoulders feel a bit lighter.
✿ I can get a little nerdy about the "why" we do things. Think the brain & the nervous system.
✿ I'll help you figure out what you need to change and stick with you while you do it.
✿ I'll always remind you of your strengths. Because honestly, women are bad-asses and we shouldn't forget it.
How It All Began...
I've been the one holding it all together on the outside while unravelling on the inside. ​
I didn't always know where I was headed.
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In my early twenties, I spent years wandering, trying to 'find myself', chasing different paths, and making. few mistakes along the way. I struggled to find my place in the world and oftern wondered if I was falling behind while everyone else seemed to have it all figured out. The truth? I was searching for somewhere to belong. I wanted to belong to people, to purpose, to myself.
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Life took a sharp turn when I found myself single and pregnant. It wasn't the story I'd written in my head, but it became the chapter that changed me. I threw away the toxic life I lived. I moved on from drinking and partying and from that moment on, I knew I wanted to create something meaningful - not just for me, but for my son. I wanted to build a life that felt intentional, full of purpose, and driven by connection.
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I'd always been drawn to helping people, but it wasn't until I discovered psychology and counselling that everything finally clicked. It felt like I'd come home to myself. Since then, I haven't looked back.
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Like many women, I struggled with my own mental health for years. I didn't know how to ask for help. I didn't know what I needed. I thought being 'strong' meant I had to figure it out alone.
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It wasn't until I sat across from a therapist myself that things really began to shift. That space where I could let go, feel seen, and slowly make sense of the hard parts, changed everything for me. I know what it's like to be the client. I know that it's like to do the hard, necessary work of healing.
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After the birth of my son, I investigated various things I was feeling and experiencing and this eventually turned into an ADHD diagnosis. This was something I'd carried my whole life without realising. Suddenly, so many pieces made sense. The restlessness, the overthinking, the emotional intensity, the way I struggled to keep pace with what the world seemed to expect of me.
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I understand what it's like to feel different, to be misunderstood, and to carry these battles no one else can see. My own journey makes me deeply passionate about creating safe, non-judgemental spaces for women who feel the same.
WHY I DO THIS WORK
Oakstead Therapy was born from my story, but it exists for you.
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I work with women and mothers who are navigating the messy, unspoken parts of life. The overwhelm, the identity shifts, the exhaustion that comes from carrying it all. I know what it's like to feel like you've lost yourself in the noise of daily life, to feel like you've outgrown your old coping strategies but don't know what comes next.
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I'm not here to 'fix' you. I'm here to walk alongside you, to offer support, tools, and the kind of space where you can untangle, unpack, and reconnect with yourself.
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Together, we can explore what's holding you back and build something that feels more aligned, more spacious, and more you.
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Here's What I Want You To Know...
You're not lazy. You're not too emotional. You're not failing.
You are exhausted because you've been carrying way too much for way too long, often without enough support, recognition, or space to just feel what you feel.
You're the one everyone leans on. The one who holds it all together, even when it's breaking you down. You push through, smile when you don't feel like smiling, and keep showing up, because that's what you do.
But underneath all of that? You're craving rest. Space. A chance to feel like you again, not just someone who's constantly managing, fixing, performing, or pleasing.
You don't need to be "more organised" or "more grateful".
You need someone to sit with you in the mess, help you make sense of it, and remind you that you are not too much. You don't have to do it all alone anymore.
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