Sarah Dean
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This professional is available for new clients.
This professional is available for new clients.
About me
Hello and may I welcome you to my site?
Emotionally, won't take you to where I haven't been before and I have a vast experience of helping.
Sometimes, life can be really tough. Together we can discuss any concerns or what may be troubling you.
I'm a Counsellor for Adults and Young People (13+) living in North Oxfordshire/Northamptonshire who works collaboratively with you on a short, medium or long term basis. You and I could build a relationship on an open-ended and regular basis to enable you to a happier future.
I believe that you have the potential to grow and flourish. Sometimes, all that's needed is a helping hand to have a more fulfilling way of life.
How I work
Let's build a relationship where you experience empathic understanding where you feel understood, where the Rogerian core conditions of empathy, congruency/genuineness and unconditional positive regard which means I do not judge. I work with all ethnicities, religious beliefs (or none) and difference is celebrated.
Covid-19, our government and the war between Ukraine and Russia, Israel and Gaza has been traumatising for so many people. Add on the trauma before of what life throws at us; this equals being re-traumatised. Life stressors and events can be a very challenging and lonely experience. It may be through exploring current difficulties affecting your well-being, where some may be rooted in past experiences. We could gently explore these and understand the connections to the “here and now” of your life if we agree it appropriate. Talking to and listening is not the only way to communicate; I work creatively and together we can find other ways for you to express yourself.
The beginning of our relationship
Our first appointment is about exploring whether I am the right therapist for you and can be a one-off; it usually lasts for between 60 and 90 minutes, where we identify what may be going on for you now and what your main concerning issues are. We can then discuss what your expectations and goals are from counselling, if we decide we are able to work together. Sessions thereafter therafter are usually 60 minutes long and usually occur on the same day and time every week.
Safeguarding measures are in place to enable you to access therapy. Here are some choices:
- face to face within my home
- work outdoors - perhaps start in my garden? We could also blend two of these approaches, ie in person and zoom.
- Home visits, be it in hospital or a care home or indeed your home
How long do I need to be in therapy?
This is dependent on you and our work together. However, regular review sessions can be beneficial to discover what's changed, or what hasn't.
Getting in touch
I am contactable via telephone on landline 01869 251725, text message or mobile 07973 131726 or click here to send me an email.
If I'm unable to accept your call, please let me know your preferred method of response- i.e is it OK to phone and leave a message, or email/text you?
This will enable our dialogue to remain confidential.
Fees: I offer a sliding scale - depends on you. I usually charge £65 per hour yet I love enabling; it is such an honour to bear witness to your happy self and future. Feel free to enquire. Thank you.
Thanks for taking the time to read. I sincerely look forward to hearing from you.
Training, qualifications & experience
My Qualifications
Richmond Adult Community College, West London, 2011 - 2014
- Edexcel Diploma Level 5 in Therapeutic Counselling
- NCFE Level 3 Certificate: Counselling Skills and Theory
- NCFE Level 2 Certificate: Award in Helping Skills
Recent workshops, training and enabling books I have read
- Ice Cream for Breakfast - Laura Jane Williams, June 2022.
- The Penny Model - Stefan Charidge, June 2022.
- Feel the fear and do it anyway - Susan Jeffers, May 2022.
- The Myth - explaining the truth about Attention Deficit Disorder, OCD, Dyslexia, ADHD, Dyspraxia and other conditions - Do not exist - Robin Pauc, May 2022.
- Introduction to Working with Boarding School Survivors, Karen Macmillan and Sara Warner, May 2022.
- Working with Hopelessness and Powerlessness, Geoff Hopping, 29 March 2022.
- Down the Rabbit Hole, Stefan Charidge aka the Metaphor Man and author of The Penny Model, 27 January 2022.
- Fear and Trauma, Stefan Charidge aka the Metaphor Man and author of The Penny Model, 25 September 2021.
- Children and young people's mental health: Critical insights and a vision for the future, Barnados, Pesi UK, 15 May 2021.
- Exploring the future of counselling and psychotherapy in a post pandemic world, Pesi UK, 13 May 2021
- The current mental health landscape: individual and community recovery, Janine Fisher, Pesi UK, 13 May 2021.
- Grief and Loss, finding meaning as we heal individually and collectively, Julia Samual, Pesi UK, 10 May 2021.
- Key insights into recovery from stress and trauma related disorders, Paul Farmer, Mind, Pesi UK, 5 May 2021.
- An Introduction to Outdoor Therapy, Sean Tierney, Glasgow, 2021.
- Working with Shame, Carolyn Spring of PODS, Birmingham, 2020.
- Dangerous Desire: Psychodynamics of Addiction, Riverside Counselling Service, Henley-on-Thames, 2019
- Working with Gender Diverse Children & Young People - Gloucestershire Counselling Service, Stroud, 2019
- Supporting Women through the Menopausal Transition - Riverside Counselling Service, Henley-on-Thames, 2019
- Working with Dreams, Recurrent Childhood Nightmares in Psychotherapy & Counselling - Riverside Counselling Service, Henley-on-Thames, 2019
- Photographs & Therapy When a client hands you their phone, Riverside Counselling Service, Henley-on-Thames, 2018
- Psychopharmacology and Therapy - an uneasy relationship, Banbury Therapeutic Training, 2018
- Working with the Anxious Client, Banbury Therapeutic Training, 2017
- Understanding and Working with Pregnancy Loss, Banbury Therapeutic Training, 2016
- Bereavement Support Group facilitation, Cruse, Oxford,2016
- Awareness in Bereavement Counselling, Cruse, Oxford,2015
Youthline, Bracknell, 2015 and 2014
- Young People and the meaning of Self Harm and Depression
- Young People, Sex and Sexuality
- Young People and the meaning of Self Esteem
- Shame and Self-harm
London Therapy Foundation, 2015
- Introduction to CBT
- Working with Chronically Depressed Patients
- Working with Male and Female Victims of Domestic Violence
- Working with Perpetrators of Domestic Violence
- Understanding Trauma PTSD
Work Experience
- Aynho - ongoing private practice
- Banbury Therapy Centre - 2 years of private practice
- Youthline, Bracknell - 2 years - Volunteer Counsellor and Volunteer Counsellor in Training BSHounslow Brentford - 1 year
- Teens & Toddlers, - 1 year London.
Member organisations
BACP is one of the UK’s leading professional bodies for counselling and psychotherapy with around 60,000 members. The Association has several different categories of membership, including Student Member, Individual Member, Registered Member MBACP, Registered Accredited Member MBACP (Accred) and Senior Registered Accredited Member MBACP (Snr Acccred).
Registered and accredited members are listed on the BACP Register, which shows that they have demonstrated BACP’s recommended standards for training, proficiency and ethical practice. The BACP Register was the first register of psychological therapists to be accredited by the Professional Standards Authority (PSA).
Accredited and senior accredited membership are voluntary categories for members who choose to undertake a rigorous application and assessment process to demonstrate additional standards around practice, training and supervision.
Individual members will have completed an appropriate counselling or psychotherapy course and started to practise, but they won’t appear on the BACP Register until they've demonstrated that they meet the standards for registration. Student members are still in the process of completing their training.
All members are bound by the BACP Ethical Framework and a Professional Conduct Procedure.
Accredited register membership
The Accredited Register Scheme was set up in 2013 by the Department of Health (DoH) as a way to recognise organisations that hold voluntary registers which meet certain standards. These standards are set by the Professional Standards Authority (PSA).
This therapist has indicated that they belong to an Accredited Register.
Areas of counselling I deal with
Other areas of counselling I deal with
- Miscarriage, Abortion, Neonatal, Stillbirth and Sudden Infant Death
- Ectopic and Molar pregnancies
- Adoption
- Young People
- Exam, peer and parental pressures
- Loss
- Panic attacks
- Suicidal ideation.
For parents/carers for adolescents under the age of 18.
I offer review sessions where we can work together to enable your adolescent. These sessions occur outside your adolescent's normal day and time and last for about one hour and costs £60. Due to the confidentiality of your adolescent's and my relationship, I am disabled from sharing the content of our sessions together without her/his explicit consent.
Therapies offered
Photos & videos
Fees
Concessions offered for
When I work
Please contact me to arrange a mutually convenient date and time. Thank you.
Further information
BACP
As a qualified and registered member of the British Association of Counsellors and Psychotherapists (BACP), I abide and adhere to the Ethical Framework for Good Practice. You can explore what you can expect of me by following this link: http://www.bacp.co.uk/ethics/EFfCP.php.
I attend regular clinical Supervision to promote and safeguard my practice and attend professional development days to uphold my professional standards.
Client testimonials
"A Delight to work with.
I’d happily recommend Sarah as she is very welcoming and calming I have really enjoyed working with her through my struggles and also through my high moments too". Samuel, 22, North Oxfordshire.
“Working with Sarah is one of the best decisions I have ever made, I am more confident, less anxious and depressed and feel truly optimistic and excited for the future for the first time in a long time, I could not recommend someone more.” Louis, 21, North Oxfordshire.
When I first met Sarah I was very closed off as this was my first time through this experience, after a few sessions I felt very safe and secure to talk about anything honestly without feeling judged or pressured.
She has great ideas along with a caring and great personality, I honestly cannot recommend her enough.
"After I found Sarah on line whilst searching for a therapist, I made an appointment on the phone to visit Sarah the next day for a one off session. I'd never done this before so wasn't sure what to expect. I needn't have worried; Sarah made me feel very relaxed. I decided to go ahead with booking some weekly appointments. I found Sarah very easy to talk to and found the weekly homework she gave me really helped with how I was feeling. My health anxiety is getting better and I'm so glad I met this lovely lady. I can recommend Sarah who is very funny. Thank you Sarah for helping to begin this journey of learning, growing and self care". DH, 60ish, North Oxfordshire, May 2021.
'I will personally recommend Sarah to anyone! She has helped and strengthened me immensely. My confidence has soared and I've never been happier. Great support and guidance throughout the process and is extremely professional'
Jess, 29, Brackley, February 2021.
"I didn’t know how to learn about myself on my own. Sarah has a magic key that gently opened a door I couldn’t see for myself. She walked with me, every step of the way. I felt safe, comforted and truly seen and heard for who I am - thank you Sarah for holding my hand along the way.” JA, 47, Brackley, February 2021.
"As a 50+ year old man, I was unsure and sceptical about couselling but with a number of deep rooted childhood questions and events weighing on my mind, as well as a few work issues, I decided to contact Sarah for help.
Sarah made me feel welcome and comfortable and I very quickly realised I was in the right place. I felt free to question everything that was troubling me, which is not like me at all.
The end result is a far happier, calmer and more understanding person. I no longer have any of the bitter and pent up feelings of before and the relationships with my family have greatly improved as a result.
I've since found myself proudly telling people of my couselling experience with Sarah and I will be recommending her highly to all who are interested.
It's never too late to change, I have." MG, 50, Brackley. April '20
"Sarah is a very knowledgeable, warm and funny counselor. She is able to provide a safe environment to be able to share life stories, understanding past and present.
Sarah showed me how to connect to my inner child and to keep her safe, loved and nurtured.
I would highly recommend Sarah's service to anyone who needs support and help in any walk of life." EC, 36, Budapest, February '20
"Sarah has been a great help in guiding me towards discovering what I do and don’t want from life. What has held me back and helping me to let go of the past and look forward to the future after feeling so stuck with life. Sarah is empathetic, intuitive and I trusted her completely. They say laughter is the best medicine and we did a lot of that as Sarah is so easy to get on with. Sometimes all you need is someone to listen and say it’s ok you are fine just the way you are I’m here for you. Thank you Sarah." By Heather, age early 50s, Oxford, October '19
“I had my last session with Sarah on 15th September 2019 which she kindly rearranged for as I missed my session the day prior which shows just how accommodating she is as she’s done this effortlessly on a few occasions. Since I started with Sarah I have felt a massive change in myself becoming much more confident and kinder to myself which I have been able to do through her guidance. I have really struggled in the past with confidence, anxiety and family relationship issues and haven’t understood exactly what it is that has been affecting me. However, with Sarah’s help I have been able to understand why I am feeling the way I have and practical steps to overcome these negative feelings and thoughts.
I would recommend Sarah to anyone and believe she has the ability to help anyone become a happier, more present and knowledgeable person when it comes to self-care and mental health in general. I really can’t say enough positive things about her and if I ever struggled in the future would happily go back to see her to resolve any troubles.” By Joshua, age 25, Banbury, Sept. '19
"I came to see Sarah last year when in 'crisis' and looking for someone to help me navigate my way through. I immediately felt at ease with her kind and gentle manner and entrusted myself to work with her. It was the best decision I have made.
Sarah creates a supportive and accepting environment where she draws upon creative and poignant methods to help work through and overcome challenges and problems you are facing.
It is no exaggeration to say that the work that I have done with Sarah has been life-changing in a wholy positive and enjoyable way. I encourage anyone who is seeking a safe space to work through their problems to speak with Sarah." By Kirsten L, age 44, Helmdon. August 2019
“Sarah has helped me come so far in only a short amount of time. Not only has she helped me but she has successfully taught me how to help myself. I have always felt so comfortable talking to her and at ease in her company. She has helped me overcome so many struggles I have faced throughout my life and come to peace with them. I don't know where I would be had I not met her”. by CK, age 18, Buckingham October 2018.
"I would highly recommend Sarah to anyone looking for a friendly counsellor who not only helps to organize and discuss specific life events but also empathizes with you without judgment or pressure to share. She is truly a joy to work with and get to know. She will offer alternative views on certain situations/emotions that give clarity and a sense that a weight has been lifted. I would advise anyone seeking a friendly face with open ears and love in her heart to contact Sarah". ET, Age 20, Banburyshire. June 2019.
