Sarah Leone Griffiths
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This professional is available for new clients.
This professional is available for new clients.
About me
Guiding Star Trauma Therapy - Independent female trauma psychotherapist / counsellor, covering Merthyr Tydfil, (face to face) and remote counselling (Zoom, Teams etc) working from my home (Private practice is set in Merthyr Tydfil).
Therapy from age 5 upwards - Adults, Couples, Individuals- incorporating DDP & Play Therapy Techniques with Children & Young People, and Families, where appropriate.
*DDP Level 1 Therapist (Dyadic Developmental Psychotherapy) - Level 2 will be completed in 2025. I currently practice as a DDP Informed therapist. Working with a Systemic Approach.
*EMDR Psychotherapy - I currently practice as an “EMDR Clinician” after completing the levels 1-4 of accredited training.
*Adults 1:1
*Couples
*Families
*Children & Young People
*Clinical Supervision
*Parenting & Child Development
Training, qualifications & experience
*EMDR - Levels 1-4. Completed May 2024.
*DDP Level 1 - Dyadic Developmental Psychotherapy (November 2022) - Level 2 in 2025.
*MSc / PG Dip / PG Cert - Play & Therapeutic Play - 2008-2010 (Level 5,6,7).
*PG Diploma Counselling - (Integrative) - 2004
*Management - NVQ Level 4 - Barnardos Cymru - 2008
*2024 - (Current) - Band 8 NHS Area Counsellor Specialist
*2024 - 2024 - Therapeutic Team Manager, Private Residential Care - Athena Care Group Swansea
*2021-2024 - EMDR Specialism & Service Manager @ Platfform Swansea (CWTCH project for Substance Use).
*2008 - 2010 - Barnardos Cymru - Childrens Services Manager Level 1 & Childrens Counsellor (Sessional)
*Jan 2010 - 2013 - School Based Counsellor with Blaenau Gwent CBC
*2013 -(June - Present) predominantly - Private Practice
*Clinical Supervisor.
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
I specialise in Trauma Therapy, EMDR (Eye, Movement, Desensitisation, Reprocessing) and Systemic Psychotherapy techniques including DDP (Dyadic Developmental Psychotherapy) in children and Young People, and Families.
I offer support and guidance throughout Family / Children's Therapy, with 'Parenting' skills and enhanced knowledge around Child Development.
I assist Multi - Agencies and key workers with Clinical Supervision, and EAP counselling.
Guiding Star offers a safe, effective and very boundaried approach (and will need to signpost on those who are in ‘crisis management’ or living in abusive or chaotic situations - who maybe cannot commit themselves to the process and boundaries of BACP ethical counselling).
Therapies offered
Fees
£60.00 - £250.00
Concessions offered for
Health Insurance/EAP
Additional information
*PLEASE NOTE*: To begin ANY therapy - firstly, a telephone consultation must be booked either via email enquiry or via the secure link on this Counselling Directory page, (“book a call” option) and financially secured, to see if my type of practice and style / approach, is right for you.
Counselling requires a lot of commitment and is not in any way a crisis management service or emergency care service. *Please contact your GP or Primary Care services for additional advice, if unsure*
A “week in advance” approach will initiate the sessions thereafter; Therefore, a ‘double fee’ (minimum £120 based on the baseline adults rate) is to be paid at the beginning, securing the first and the very last session. The “in advance” fee will be used in the event of cancelling outside of their contracted 48 hours notice. *NO REFUNDS APPLY*.
*INITIAL TELEPHONE CONSULTATION- £20 (up to 20 mins) *any therapy sessions cannot be scheduled, until this is completed and that basic client details and information from a basic assessment, is completed*
*REPORT WRITING - £250*
*Higher fees WILL apply, for Referrals from Insurers, Private Health and Medicolegal Companies*
*ALL COUNSELLING - £60 - £250 (PER 50 MIN SESSION) *extra £10 per session for weekends*
*Teams / Zoom sessions - 50 mins = £60
*COUPLES - £80
*FAMILY THERAPY - £150 - £250 (per session, *dependant on number of relatives)*
*THERAPEUTIC PLAY & CYP (Children & Young People’s Counselling) - AGE 5 - 18 - £70
*FILIAL THERAPY (1 adult, 1 child) £150
*DDP THERAPY - £150 (90 mins)
*CLINICAL SUPERVISION - £80 - £120 PER 1.5 HOURS EACH MONTH (IN LINE WITH BACP REQUIREMENTS: www.bacp.co.uk/supervision)
*STUDENT SUPERVISION (I.D. or STUDENTS NO. REQUIRED) - £70 PER HOUR / £100 PER 1.5 HOURS EACH MONTH)
*EMDR - £100 - £150
When I work
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*INITIAL CONSULTATION IS REQUIRED
*ZOOM / TEAMS COUNSELLING SESSIONS, TO SUPPORT THOSE IN VARIOUS LOCATION / HYBRID WORKING
Schedule 8.30 - 8.30 - *weekend sessions sometimes available*
Further information
*20 minute telephone consultation is required to initiate therapy = £20 - to ascertain whether we are a good ‘fit’ and to carry out a baseline assessment and obtain basic details to see if Counselling/ Psychotherapy is suitable *(We are not a crisis management or emergency service)*
I assist front line workers via Clinical Supervision (Teachers, Police Officers, Emergency Services and Social Workers, Probation and Domestic Abuse Practitioners).
I offer support and guidance to Carers.
I have been a counsellor and psychotherapist for 20 years, and have worked for Health, Education, Social Services / Local Authority, Private work, and some of the leading Children's Charities, across Wales and the UK
