Sarah

About Sarah

Hi there, I’m Sarah – a trainee integrative counsellor with a first career in Human Resources and executive coaching. My path into counselling wasn’t linear or even part of my original plan – but emerged from profound life-altering experiences, deep reflection and a growing understanding of what it means to be human with all our complexity! Post pandemic, I experienced a messy unravelling of life following a series of unexpected but disruptive life-quakes. These events included several late diagnoses of neurodiversity for myself and my family, chronic health issues, complex mental health, a complicated bereavement, relationship breakdowns, loss of employment and burnout. These experiences fundamentally changed my understanding of myself and the world, marked by grief, trauma and in time – even more transformation. Through personal therapy, lots of self-reflection and resilience – I learnt how to navigate the losses to begin living again, rebuilding a new way of life with a new understanding of myself. Being truly seen and heard during the most desperate of times highlighted the power of the therapeutic connection to support recovery and inspired me to re-train as an integrative counsellor. I believe in creating space where you can show up exactly as you are – be that overwhelmed, uncertain, lost, scared, vulnerable – and everything in between. Reinventing yourself to live differently isn’t easy – it’s not about quick fixes. Instead, it’s about learning to hold all the different pieces of yourself and your life with compassion and perspective, whilst deciding to step forward into a new way of living and being. I’m not here to fix you, but I will be with you as you navigate your own period of change, supporting you as you decide what’s next. Others describe me as warm, sensitive, collaborative and human. I am also energetic, empathic and curious. I have a quiet determination to use my unexpected life experiences, late discovered neurodiversity and humanness to support others who are navigating profound change in their lives.

My Approach

I have a strong belief in the power of building a safe, collaborative therapeutic relationship, and once established, drawing from different therapeutic approaches to work with you as the distinctive and unique person you are. My approach is influenced by integrative counselling training, professional experience supporting others navigating change and lived understanding of neurodivergence and the complexities of being human. The understanding of neurodiversity, change and transition enables me to work sensitively with many different experiences including overwhelm, masking, burnout, self-belief, emotional regulation and anxiety/depression. I have a deep empathy and consideration for others – particularly those who have a sense of feeling different and not belonging. Whether you are stepping into the unknown by choice or circumstance, this is the space to help you make sense of the upheaval you are experiencing, to breathe through the uncertainty, to figure it out and begin again with intention. Together, we will work to discover your own inner clarity and in time, realign this with meaningful outer direction.

Holistic & Mind–Body Perspective

I work with a strong focus on our mind-body connection, recognising how life experiences are not only experienced in the mind but also felt and stored physiologically in our body. As a neurodivergent practitioner this is central to my work – the body often communicates our unmet needs, distress or sense of safety – especially during times of change. Creating space and paying attention to our sensory experiences and feelings are a fundamental part of building self-awareness, processing emotions, self-regulation and navigating future change. Integrating this awareness enables clients to reconnect with themselves more holistically, developing a greater sense of agency, choice and safety.

"Unexpected life events and big transitions rarely follow a straight line. They’re often messy, disorientating and push you well beyond your limits. They are full of emotions and big questions with no quick or simple answers. Together, we make space for the messiness, the confusion and the meaning making. Your experience is unique - so when you’re ready, we’ll gently start to explore it - at your pace and in your way. "

Sarah