Claire Taylor
Claire Taylor (43) is the founder of Claire Taylor Therapy. She was born in Sheffield and never really left apart from a short time in London working for the architects who completed the Meadowhall Shopping Centre. Although she was offered a more senior job back in London, she wanted to remain in Sheffield full time after her work on the site.
Her dad is 80, her daughter 8 and her brother who lives in New Zealand left for university when she was 8, so she grew up feeling pretty much an only child. In May 2011, Claire lost her mum to a long battle with cancer- her third.
“My mum was my hero” Claire says. “She never sat down. She was a primary teacher but was also involved in many societies and clubs. She suffered ill health for so many years, but even a couple of weeks before she died she had her lipstick on and no one ever heard her complain about her health.
” Nearly everyone I meet influences me in some way. Everyone has a story and a situation, good, bad or ugly- we can all learn lessons and have lightbulb moments from the people we come into contact with. I read quite a lot, so many authors have influenced me in many different areas of life. Many motivational women speakers, explaining their story, influence me to think, 'if they can do it, then so can I'.”
She remembers as a child wanting to be either a long distance lorry driver (probably because her dad was a transport manager) or a dry stone waller like her uncle (until she discovered her dislike for spiders!) In her teens, Claire spent many nights ice skating, but as her mum was a primary school teacher in her local area, she had to be 'good', as anything she did got back to her. At secondary school she rebelled though and became a punk- spiky pink hair... the lot!
Claire left school at 16 with O Levels and went onto a YTS at John Lewis (Cole Brothers as it was back then), then became an office junior at a solicitors’ practice. Going back to college on an advanced secretarial course led to a post as receptionist at an advertising agency where she was quickly promoted to PA to the MD, and then the opportunity arose to become PA to the Senior Associate at the London architects who worked on Meadowhall. Spells as a recruitment consultant and in a merchant bank were followed by a career at the University of Sheffield. Claire started as secretary to the Academic Secretary and finally became a Head of Department, while also completing a part time Master's degree in Communication Studies in her first three years working at the University.
Claire has had plenty of life changing and defining moments along the way. Not many of us envisage becoming a single mum with a 10 day old baby, facing a divorce- but that is what happened to Claire. She also cites “realising that I love myself and discovering the ‘Law of Attraction’ and a whole new way of thinking” on a personal front, and on the career side, “being offered the opportunity of severance from the University which resulted in starting a business and the steep learning curve that comes with it.”
Claire has faced a lot of challenges: being a single mum was further complicated by being hospitalised for nearly two weeks with double pneumonia when her daughter was two – thankfully Claire’s parents were able to step in. However, Claire came to realise she could manage on her own and still progress 'through the ranks' at the University. Being promoted from a secretary to a Head of Department without ever being interviewed was cited by the Director of HR as an example of what women can achieve in HE. Since then, Claire took the opportunity of severance to start her own business, “now being able to do a job I love which has such a positive impact on my clients' lives.”
Claire founded Claire Taylor Therapy just under a year ago. Her practise is based off Abbeydale Road at Abbeydale Tennis Club. “My original plan for year one was to provide only individual therapy,” Claire recalls, “this changed after a few short months, as I kept receiving requests from companies to work with their managers and staff teams. Being a therapist with a vast array of life and corporate experience helps me understand clients' situations easily - and I think my business attracted employers as it is a service very few therapists can offer. Working in the corporate world with my clinical therapy training enables me to look at the situation from the 'people' perspective. For example, I work alongside HR consultants to help their clients reduce absenteeism and deliver training courses. Helping a company make changes through workshops or transition coaching and seeing the outcomes for each individual employee is so rewarding – I wish I’d had someone in my role through all the restructuring I have experienced over the years! I look after the people, whilst management takes care of the business.”
Claire says her business seems to be working out around 60% corporate work, 40% individual therapy. Whichever she works with, Claire has a wide range of expertise and a host of professional qualifications to call on. She is a qualified Advanced Clinical Hypnotherapist and coach with experience ranging from clinical hypnotherapy and psychotherapy, Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT), neuro-linguistics and stress management to depressive disorders and Irritable Bowel Syndrome (IBS).
For individuals, Claire specialises in working with clients who suffer anxiety, depression, stress and eating disorders. She also works with children on a regular basis. Claire explains what she loves most about the job, “I love people, and if I can help someone make the changes they want to make, improving their happiness and health, then I couldn’t ask for a better job in the world. Seeing a therapy client who has suffered from depression their whole life change to the point they feel that they can go it alone, knowing you're there if they ever need you, is wonderful. Seeing a client with an eating disorder healthy and fit, no longer feeling they need to control life through their eating habits... priceless.”
Asked what she is most proud of, Claire thinks of “raising my daughter alone and her being as wonderful as she is and being able to treat my ex husband as a 'best friend' for the sake of my daughter – sometimes at great personal cost, but to her benefit. I’m proud of the work I do, helping others in times of adversity in their lives and being awarded my MA after studying part time whilst working full time.”
Outside work, Claire confesses to being animal mad! She has two cats, a Heinz 57 puppy and this summer has adopted a beautiful retired greyhound from the Retired Greyhound Trust at Wortley who she supports. “The farm really needs dog walkers, particularly through the week, to help walk all the dogs.” Claire explains. “Despite what you may think, a greyhound only needs a couple of 20 minute walks a day and the countryside at the farm is wonderfully relaxing (if you can avoid the sheep poo!)”
When she is not making her speciality cakes, Claire is a Beaver Scout Leader at 79th Sheffield. “I never had anything to do with Scouts or Brownies growing up, but I was literally backed into a corner by a group of mums at my daughter's school who said, “We need you!”. The Beaver colony was about to close as no one had volunteered to be leader for 12 months. This group of mums kept their campaign up at every opportunity and about three months later, I gave in and said I’d do it. When I took on the role, I had six Beavers in my colony. Within a few short months I had 21!”
Claire’s remaining ambitions are interesting and varied: a parachute jump, writing a book, being financially secure enough to be able to spend all her time working voluntarily for good causes- especially being involved with children in care in some capacity and, as you might expect of Claire- being the best mum she can be…
Claire can be contacted on claire@claire-taylor-corporate.co.uk Telephone practice 0114 2685272/ 0759 5756 450
Website www.claire-taylor-therapy.co.uk www.claire-taylor-corporate.co.uk
Twitter: @claireonthewww
Back