Sarah May Thorpe

I am currently only accepting adults for EMDR, this is for anyone who has past trauma, PTSD, OCD, anxiety, social anxiety, phobias that are robbing you from enjoyment and pleasure in close relationships, life , home and work. 

If you experience thoughts, or feelings that connect to feeling bad, guilt, worthless, a burden, a sense of responsibility for everything, fearful of people and the world. 

After a trauma, or traumatic experiences, in childhood or adulthood, EMDR might be the best therapeutic intervention for you. 

Reasons for  Psychotherapy and Counselling 

At times in life we will struggle, feel stuck, feel helpless and tired.

Experience anger, sadness, frustrations that slow us down, affect our relationships and sense of worth. 

Depression and anxiety can often be symptoms of other underlying, or unresolved recent, or past experiences. 

Counselling is a confidential service. Talking helps us to make sense of what's happening,  or happened. Put together pieces of the jigsaw, connect the dots. 

Therapy is also a time to download your emotions, express in a safe space, where you can say things out loud and not he judged for this. 

We can arrange a time to talk that is safe and confidential for you.  Or, we can arrange booking sessions over email. 

I offer a combined  approach in the therapy room. During the pandemic I've attended many creative courses to integrate working creatively, interactively, on and off line, if you prefer an 'out of the box' approach. 

My aim is to be inclusive to all. 

Depending on age, ability and the individual, talking, and/or working creatively can support expressing and communicating difficult emotions and experiences.

Adults 

Depending on your need, will depend on what approaches we take and how we interact in the sessions. You are in control of your own therapy.

We explore what is important to you, what's affecting you and what's getting in the way. 

If you’ve experienced childhood abuse and/or other traumatic experiences, some clients need /prefer to have long term therapy. 

You are in control of your therapy, how much time you need to be in therapy and when you want to stop. For some individuals, short term therapy works well. 

Family conflict/relationships If we can allow ourselves to open up to exploring family dynamics, attachments and roles, we can find this helps understand ourselves and family members. 

Misunderstandings and not listening to one another,  creates a divide and friction in relationships. 

In therapy we can start to be open to acknowledgement and  accepting we are different, unique individuals and can and often hold different beliefs in one family.

Working through family history and our relationship often holds keys to opening doors, you will start to connect the dots, and will gain a deeper insight. 

Many people start to reconnect with others and create closer relationships. Or, in some cases make their decision to end relationships that are harmful. 

If you are in a coercive,  controlling relationship and feel it's harmful and unhealthy for you,  therapy can help you explore what is  happening and clarify what you need. You are responsible for making your own choices,  if you choose to stay in a relationship, or leave. I cannot advise you on this, other domestic abuse services can advise and offer practical support. 

Emotions such as fear, panic, terror are warning signs. You may have feel trapped, isolated and lonely.  Avoidance of people. Loss of confidence and feeling worthless. These are only a few examples of how unsafe  relationships can affect us.  

Couple Relationship problems - I am returning to working face to face with couples . The first initial  sessions are valuable and insightful to understand your needs and your hopes and wishes for you both.  This is structured, will aim to benefit meeting your needs. 

You may be having difficulties getting along with your partner, or with others in general. Talking together with a counsellor can help you gain a clearer perspective and help you to understand your own and other peoples behaviour, feelings and thoughts.

Loss/Bereavement- Losing someone, whether it is through separation or death, whether it was expected or not, can create a tsunami of emotions, like a tidal wave we will feel the emotions rush in and out, from feeling immense pain, sadness, relief, numbing, enraged, so many emotions and thoughts.

Grief can feel numbness, emptiness, nothingness. It is usual for many people to feel detached. You might experience thoughts  like  `what's the point` or `what's the meaning of life`.  

Or thoughts like....What if, and if only, or what could i have done, did i do enough?

Grief at times is love, how we felt for that person, the depth will be the depth of the grief. 

Grief can look like and feel like anger ,  at what we wanted, or hoped for with the person who died.  You might grieve for the loss of that person, relationship and the loss of future hopes and plans. 

Your grief is yours alone, a place of safety to begin to  express your emotions in the sessions, I hope gives you a voice and explores any beliefs and values that are barriers to grief. 

Talking about life, death and dying is an area I have worked on myself for many years and feel  open to explore with others, how they feel, what they believe in and what they are experiencing. 

Death is part of life, taking time to talk about how we feel about our own life, what is the meaning and purpose of it all, is part of what I  can offer you, if that is what you want. 

Redundancy/work issues

It is a big fear for many people at this present time. You may benefit from some short term counselling to help you cope and cross the bridge to find out where to go next in your life.

Feeling anxious? Feeling nervous, anxious or on edge can be a barrier to enjoying life. 
Let’s explore your anxiety and find the roots causes . What's going on. In my years of experience in listening to clients and various training,  anxiety can triggered by buried emotions, deep fears and the inner conflict. I call this, the battle with the self. 

Depression/feeling low - the reasons for depression are different for us all, however we experience similar symptoms. Feeling exhausted, lacking in motivation, generally not feeling well and good in ourselves. Exploring the root cause with a counsellor is one way to take a step forward to find insight and understanding.

Feeling lonely is often part of depression, feeling guilty, tearful, stuck and much more.

Whatever you are experiencing, is your experience, my role as a counselor is not to tell you how you feel, or what to do. 

My role is to emotionally  support you to navigate your own personal journey, to explore your personal experiences and to find your own sense of self (autonomy) being you, or who you want to be. 

Emdr 

For individuals/families on low income /students only please enquire
I have some limited spaces for concessions. 

 When you enquire ask me if there are any spaces available for the lowest rate. 

Weekly sessions are recommended and most effective, fortnightly sessions can work and this can manage cost and time. 

My experience, skills and training are based in working with the following:-

• Mild/severe Depression
• EMDR for trauma 
• Anxiety
• Couple and relationship work
• Low self esteem, confidence
• Family relationships
• Childhood issues
• Bereavement
• Mental health
• Relationships
• Separation and divorce
• working with young people/children
• Self harm
• Social anxiety
• older people