About Me
I am a qualified, experienced counsellor. I offer long term or short term counselling and specialise in working with people struggling with a wide range of issues, including:
- Anxiety
- Bereavement/Loss
- Childhood & Recent Sexual Abuse
- Depression
- Disassociation
- Domestic Abuse (From either Partner, Ex Partner or Family Members)
- Panic / Panic Attacks
- Relationship Issues
- Self Esteem
- Self Harm
- Stress
- Trauma
- Unresolved Childhood Issues
What to expect from therapy with me
Talking with an experienced therapist who has been trained to listen, not just to what you say but to also what isn’t being said, in a safe space can help you understand yourself more and see your situation more clearly. It is about exploring what is troubling you and working at a deeper level, to uncover what is behind it, what drives it and what keeps it going. Although therapy won't solve all your problems, it can help you to make sense of things and to see things more clearly so that your issues, concerns or past will have less of an impact on your everyday life and help you live more effectively.
How I Work
I work in a psychodynamic way in that my aim is to help people see themselves more clearly and to know themselves better, helping them to face and make sense of what is troubling them. I focus on how problems and conflicts in adulthood may stem from what we experienced in childhood, and how this has impacted on how we relate to ourselves and other people as well as how we are drawn into repeating the same patterns time and time again, and drawn towards the same relationships.
My experience
I ran the Domestic Abuse service at Portsmouth Abuse and Rape Counselling (PARCS) from 2016 to 2019. I initially joined PARCS in 2013 where I counselled victims who had experienced sexual abuse with associated issues of struggling with mental health and post-traumatic stress.
Prior to this I was an Independent Domestic Violence Advocate for many years and I also worked along-side Hampshire Police as a frontline worker assisting Domestic Abuse victims who had called 999.
I now work solely as a private counsellor based in my practices in Portsmouth and Havant.
Feelings
I will try to help you to understand what you feel, why you feel the way you do and to explore what it would be like to feel differently. We will try to make sense of your story together so that you can then make decisions about moving forward. I will support you to identify and make changes and also to cope when things can't be changed with situations and others etc. Although some issues take a while to resolve, many clients say they start to feel better and more in control after just a few sessions. Being able to talk openly and without fear of judgement is a huge relief for many clients.
Our relationship
The relationship between us as client(s) and counsellor is an important part of therapy. I am caring, have a genuine interest in helping to make your life happier and will do my best to make sure that you feel safe and confident in working with me. I will always do what I feel is in your best interests and helps you to move forward. A key part of how I work is being fully respectful of you as your own person. I also find that having a good sense of humour can be a very useful tool for both of us. If we do decide to work together there are likely to be occasions when we find we are laughing together, even in the most difficult circumstances! Because we are human and I don’t work in a formal, clinical way but in a way that is real and helps us form a good working relationship, building trust and assisting you going forward.
Safe
I am a member of the British Association of Counselling and Psychotherapy (BACP) and I am fully police checked (DBS). I have also been assessed by the BACP as reaching their standards of competency and, as such, have my own registration with them.
Training, qualifications & experience
Graduate Diploma in Psychodynamic Counselling - BPC and BACP Accredited
Foundation degree in Psychodynamic & CBT Counselling - Birkbeck University, London
Cert.HE Psychodynamic Counselling - Birkbeck University, London
Cert.Foundation Person Centred Counselling - NCFE
My Counselling room in Southsea
My Counselling room in Havant
It was so helpful to have a space to talk with somebody trained NOT to give advice and ‘find the answers’ – but to ask the sort of questions that prompted me to look at things myself in a different way. The counselling with Sarah made me feel more confident again, that it’s ok to ask for help and I have begun to feel better about who I am, and start to be brave enough to get on and live how I want to. Some of the changes don’t even happen in the sessions, but tick over in your head afterwards without you realising. Thank you Sarah!
- Cressida x
