Claire Riddiough, LCSW

I am a licensed Wisconsin therapist. I understand the inner turmoil and all encompassing nature of mental health challenges. You do not have to struggle through life alone. Change is possible and I can help you.I’m Claire. I’m a lover of nature, outdoor adventure, and travel. I’m a cat mama and owner of Pathways to Peace counseling. I am based out of Madison, WI, and provide teletherapy counseling services to individuals throughout the state of Wisconsin. My passion is connecting with others, with my family, friends, and clients. We share laughter, joy, sadness, pain and walk through life together.  I am a caring and compassionate friend and professional, supportive and genuinely interested in others’ lives. Mindfulness, meditation, exercise, and gratitude are essential practices in my daily life. Today, I truly feel as though I live my best life and love myself. In the past, I struggled with mental health issues, which significantly impacted my life and self worth.I felt alone in the world, surrounded by others who seemed to “have it all together”. I didn’t know how to cope with intense thoughts and feelings. I was restless, always searching for the next thing to bring me comfort or happiness, believing there was something wrong with me. I wondered if I would ever be happy, be good enough or feel satisfied.  These thoughts and behaviors prevented me from being fully present in the moment and in my life. It was not until I reached out for help that I began to change. Talking about my emotions and experiences with another person brought me relief. I realized I was not alone and did not have to struggle through life by myself. I developed a positive sense of self, learned tools to restructure my thoughts, and began using healthy coping skills to change my behaviors and feelings. With my own personal transformation, I discovered my passion in life is to help others. Change is possible! It takes time, honesty, effort and commitment. But you don’t have to do it alone - we are in this together. I am committed to helping you transform your life so that you can experience meaning, peace, joy and connection. My goal is to provide compassionate and effective individual therapy, working with you to develop new skills and insights that bring forth healing. I decided to go to school to get the necessary training to make my passion a reality. I am a Licensed Wisconsin Therapist (LCSW) and received my My Master of Social Work with a Mental Health Concentration from the University of Wisconsin - Madison. I have over 5 years of experience in the clinical field, and over 10 years in the human services profession. My undergraduate degree is Bachelor of Science in Art Therapy from Edgewood. I have completed additional trainings in: CBT (Cognitive Behavioral Therapy), DBT (Dialectal Behavioral Therapy) techniques, mindfulness meditation, substance use and addiction treatment, suicide prevention, spirituality, positive psychology, trauma informed care, along with many others.