About us
Hello, I'm Sarah Hanchet
I'm a UKCP Adult Psychotherapist. I am also qualified with the Institute of Group Analysis as a group therapist.
I offer general psychotherapy for all sorts of relationship difficulties. We explore what is hurting you, which usually stems from what needs haven't been met. I work relationally, which means we also use what is going on in our relationship as a useful checkpoint. So we can work very deeply if you'd like to.
I called my practice The Wisdom Is In The Room because I believe we all have an innate wisdom about how to feel in balance and heal ourselves. We all go up and down (yes me too!) so the aim is to have enough in the tank to be able to draw on, when (inevitably) the down-times come.
Training, qualifications & experience
I originally qualified as a group therapist with the Institute of Group Analysis and conducted therapy groups in the NHS, private hospitals and private practice, I then achieved UKCP accreditation as a psychodynamic psychotherapist and set up in private practice in Central London.
It Helps To Like Your Therapist
I believe that for psychotherapy to be effective, you need to like our relationship (even when you don’t!) In my experience, healing really can happen and it needs a stable and consistent relationship where you feel supported and safe.
Therapy Is A Marathon Not a Sprint
I work in a way that is open-ended, which means that you are welcome to work with me for as long as you wish. I believe in the idea of a ‘therapy journey’ so I’ll understand if you need to stop therapy for a while. A lot of my clients do their work in stages. I prefer face to face but am happy to work on line.
I Work With Relational Trauma
I see people who want to make sense of their experience, where something that's happened in a relationship has overwhelmed or traumatised them. I’m psychodynamically trained which means I focus a lot on the impact of childhood. We explore together how you are managing feelings that are perhaps difficult to put into words. Putting feelings into words and making them part of who we are is key to managing depression and anxiety, which is our understandable response to trauma and stress. When we can't do this - our body talks for us.
I use an evidence-based trauma approach. We can't change the past, so we work instead with how unprocessed feelings are being communicated in the present. We look at what is frustrating and upsetting you, how you are protecting yourself and at your repeating patterns. We focus on developing and enabling the competent & strong part of you, while working with great care and compassion with the part of you that needs your self-protection and drives your trauma responses. Our goal is to upgrade your defences so that you can live more creatively & peacefully with a difficult past situation, instead of letting it hold you back.
I Specialise In Infertility
I am growing my clinical interest in the links between medically unexplained infertility and childhood neglect, overwhelm and trauma.
The evidence is growing that adverse events in childhood can deeply affect our core physiological systems, and that includes fertility. But I leave that to the medics, and focus my energies on exploring what you believe (i.e. have internalised) about your body and about being a mother.
We’ll explore and process the range of 'unthought' knowledge about what pregnancy, motherhood & partnership (or not!) mean to you. You’ll say things you didn’t believe you could face and we’ll use deeply relational talk therapy, together with your own embodiment processes, to release hidden feelings. The aim is to help to rediscover your sense of being a creative & purposeful person.
I also work with women who are struggling with infertility on a range of related issues, including creating a family using donor eggs/sperm/embryos or surrogacy; and beginning to think about adoption. I always recommend that women use the counselling services available at their fertility clinic, and I can provide on-going and more in-depth psychological support.
I Offer Therapy Groups Too
I originally trained as a group therapist so alongside my individual therapy, I currently offer two groups:
1. A mixed therapy group. This is a space for working with others on loss, changes to sense of self (identity) and life transitions. The group is open-ended so new members may join when a space comes up.
To join the group or the waiting list, you’d need to have 3 sessions of individual therapy with me. The group will launch in September 2025 and meets on a Tuesday evening from 6.30pm-8pm at 40 Fitzroy Square.
2. A 12-week group-based programme for women with unexplained infertility. This is a space for a small group of women to explore together the impact on them of this difficult diagnosis. The therapy goal is to begin to find peace with what is out of our control, and reconnect with our creative self. We will explore a wide range of topics, including the impact of childhood trauma and neglect, the 7 basic needs that we all desire to be met, inner child work, and reconnecting with our creative self.
This 12-week group begins in September / January / May. It takes place on a Monday from 6.30pm-8pm and is currently offered online (which can change if enough women want to meet in person).
Member organisations *
school Registered / Accredited
Being registered/accredited with a professional body means an individual must have achieved a substantial level of training and experience approved by their member organisation.
The British Psychoanalytic Council (BPC) is a professional association, representing the profession of psychoanalytic psychotherapy.
The organisation is itself made up of fourteen member organisations and BPC accredits the trainings of its member organisations. An individual who qualifies from one of these trainings is then eligible for entry into the BPC's register.
BPC registrants are governed by a code of ethics, a policy of continuing professional development, a statement on confidentiality and a complaints procedure. The BPC is a Member Society of the European Federation for Psychoanalytic Psychotherapy in the Public Sector (EFPP). Accredited by the Professional Standards Authority.
The UK Council for Psychotherapy (UKCP) is a leading professional body for the education, training and regulation of psychotherapists and psychotherapeutic counsellors. Its register is accredited by the government's Professional Standards Authority.
As part of its commitment to protect the public, it works to improve access to psychotherapy, to support and disseminate research, to improve standards and to respond effectively to complaints against its members.
UKCP standards cover the range of different psychotherapies. Registration is obtained by training or accrediting with one of its member organisations, or by holding a European Certificate in Psychotherapy. Accredited by the Professional Standards Authority.
Areas of counselling we deal with
Other areas of counselling we deal with
Medically Unexplained Infertility / Donor Conception
I would always encourage you to take up the fertility counselling offered by your clinic.
I can see you if need deeper and longer-term support. Perhaps the process of facing infertility has given you feelings that are hard to process, as they have their roots maybe in other experiences in your life.
I offer a 12-week group-therapy based programme for women after IVF. The focus of the group is on re-finding ourselves after fertility treatment.
Therapies offered
Photos & videos
Fees
Additional information
Weekly Individual Therapy is charged for in 1-month blocks: £420/month
Weekly Group Therapy is charged in 1-month blocks: £240/month
12-week Therapy Programmes are £1,320
When we work
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I see clients for individual therapy on a Wednesday, Thursday and Friday from 8am - 6pm. The open-ended therapy group is on a Tuesday evening. 12-week programmes are on a Monday afternoon.
Further information
Our space is light, private and in a safe part of London
I am based at The Fitzroy Therapy Suite, 40 Fitzroy Square, W1H 6EY just 5 minutes walk from both Great Portland Street and Warren Street Tubes.
How I work.
I prefer in-person therapy, but I can also offer a mix of in-person and on-line sessions when needed. I offer open-ended, long-term work.You can see me for as long as you wish. I also understand that therapy is a personal journey.
I can also offer brief therapy (12-sessions). This can be helpful if you are new to therapy.
Membership of the weekly therapy group requires 2-3 sessions of individual therapy and then you join a waiting list until a place comes up.
I will try to accommodate changes in your schedule, but cancelled sessions are usually charged for as you pay monthly for your dedicated session time / place in the group.
Launching in Sep25
12-week group for women struggling with infertility
I'm launching a 12-week programme for women struggling to re-find their sense of creativity and purpose after a diagnosis of medically unexplained infertility and/or unsuccessful IVF.
Do email me for an initial conversation and to join the waiting list. The group will launch once I've 6 women.
