I am an experienced, integrative counsellor, which means I draw upon a range of therapeutic approaches to suit your individual needs. These include Psychodynamic, Person-Centered, and elements of Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT), allowing me to tailor our work together to address your unique situation.
Relational Focus: I believe that relationships are central to being human, which is why the core emphasis of my therapeutic approach is relational. This means my focus is to provide a warm, non-judgmental space where you can explore the significant relationships in your life—whether that's with family, friends, colleagues, or partners—as well as the most important relationship, the one you have with yourself.
Therapy Experience: Therapy can be a time to step back from life's distractions, pressures, and external demands, allowing you to explore your internal world. My office is nestled in a serene, natural setting that provides a peaceful escape from the busyness of everyday life during your 50-minute session.
"I began my counselling journey as I felt I'd reached a stage in my life where I needed some help, externally from friends and family support...I wasn't sure initially what I expected to get from the sessions and didn't have an expectation that I was going to have my life "fixed "in any way but still wanted some guidance in how to address some things that I pushed a side for a very long time. I realised Sarah was not there to wave a magic wand but help me off load and support me by asking the right questions that would then help me to clarify and see things from a different perspective which I don't think I had before."
First meeting
I provide a free initial phone call, this gives us an opportunity to find out a little more about each other and what you're looking for from counselling and you can get a sense of how we may work together and if we have mutual availability.
After the initial phone call, we may wish to arrange a first session. The first session is an opportunity for you to get a feel for the counselling process and for us to discuss what you hope to achieve in therapy.
There is no right or wrong thing to say or to talk about in counselling, you may feel nervous or anxious about our first session. This is completely understandable and we can talk about this and what feels comfortable for you to talk about when we first meet.
Availability and Frequency of Counselling
I offer weekday and evening appointments, available both in person and online. Each session will last 50 minutes and will often be held on a weekly basis. Having regular weekly sessions helps to build and strengthen the relationship between us. The reliability of having regular sessions over a period of time contributes to a feeling of safety and trust that often allows us to work on a deeper, more effective level.
This is often the level at which we need to work in order to allow healing, growth and change to happen. I also offer fortnightly sessions for individuals who are not able to commit to weekly sessions at this time or have been working with me on a weekly basis and feel ready to have less frequent sessions.
I understand that it is not always possible to attend sessions on the same day every week. If this is the case, where possible, I can offer flexible appointments. I offer both long-term and short-term therapy, including time-limited sessions if needed. There is no requirement to attend a specific number of sessions, this is something we will discuss and review together. To enquire about availability and schedule your first session, please get in touch.
