Sara Hemsley
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This professional is available for new clients.
This professional is available for new clients.
About me
Hello, do you need someone to speak to, in a safe environment? Away from judgment, where you're free to explore your experiences and focus on yourself? Do you need help processing events in your life – past or present – or feel depressed, anxious, angry or alone? Perhaps you’ve lost a loved one and you aren’t sure how to move forward without them or where to start with everything you’re feeling. Or maybe you come from a different cultural or ethnic background and want to explore experiences around your identity.
Whatever brings you to therapy, counselling is a protected space to dedicate to your mental health, to acknowledge the difficult feelings you are experiencing, explore the cause of them, and learn how to move forward. I am here to listen to your story and anything you wish to bring to our sessions at the pace you wish to work at.
Together, we can build a respectful and trusting therapeutic relationship where you feel empowered to challenge what is holding you back, and I will support you in making positive changes to feel more control in your life.
I am an Integrative Humanistic counsellor, my main modality is The Person-Centred Approach. I value your autonomy so you can use the space as you wish – you are the expert of your own experiences – but I will make observations and ask questions I feel are helpful. I will also use aspects from other theories, to see which methods best suit your needs.
Whilst I work with different mental health issues, such as anxiety, depression, low self-esteem and historical abuse, I am passionate about supporting clients who have experienced loss navigate their grief. I understand how your world can fall apart when you’re grieving, like you’re drifting at sea without a paddle. I help people work through their grief, explore their relationship with their loved one, and rediscover their meaning to keep going, taking memories of their loved one with them.
As a counsellor from a mixed ethnic background, I’m also interested in supporting clients from different cultural backgrounds. I can help if you are questioning where you fit in, feel people don’t understand your personal experiences, been impacted by discrimination or want to explore your identity.
Regardless of what has brought you to counselling, feel free to get in touch to see if counselling could help you.
Training, qualifications & experience
Training/Qualifications:
- Level 4 Diploma in Therapeutic Counselling (CPCAB)
- Level 3 Certificate in Counselling Studies (CPCAB)
- Level 2 Certificate in Counselling Skills (CPCAB)
- BSc in Psychology (University of Sussex)
- How to do counselling online: a coronavirus primer (The Open University & The BACP)
Other training courses:
- Grief and Bereavement training
Experience:
I have worked with several different counselling organisations. I have experience working with LGBTQ+ individuals and feelings around transitioning. I have also worked with clients of different cultural backgrounds, and recognise the difficulties clients from ethnic minorities can have when accessing therapy. I see the importance in recognising the impact different cultural upbringings has on our character.
In addition to my private practice, I also work in a group treatment service with people with Borderline Personality Disorder, where the focus is working on interpersonal skills in activity groups and challenging learnt maladaptive behaviours.
I am also a volunteer counsellor for a local hospice where I support clients who are pre-bereaved or bereaved in processing their loss and navigating life outside of their grief.
Client testimonials:
"When I was told that my counselling sessions were with Sara I was then promptly contacted by her to arrange sessions and to chat about myself. Sara always made me feel comfortable in her environment and the way she spoke to me. I felt able to talk and received a lot of help and time to do this with Sara. I have come away from Sara's counselling sessions supported and stronger knowing I can go back if needed."
"Sara is an incredibly understanding and empathetic therapist who can always see and try and understand my point of view without judgement, while also challenging negative/counterproductive thought patterns in a respectful way; Sara is very pleasant to speak with, knowing when and when not to be light hearted. She is always reliable and on time to sessions and is genuinely invested in my development every session."
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
Historical abuse
Therapies offered
Photos & videos
Fees
£50.00 per session
Free initial telephone or online session
Concessions offered for
Additional information
50 minute sessions are £50. To help make counselling more accessible, I also have a limited number of concessionary slots available. I offer concessions for those on low incomes, trainee counsellors and students. Fees will be discussed in the free initial online/telephone session.
Please contact me for further information.
When I work
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I offer in-person sessions Tuesdays 10.30am - 6pm, and remote sessions Monday and Friday evenings between 6pm and 8pm.
Please note: Currently only Tuesday in-person sessions available
Further information
I offer a free 20 minute initial phone or video call for you to share what brings you to counselling and to help you decide if you are happy to continue. If you are then we will decide a time for our sessions at a mutually convenient time for us.
I offer in-person, telephone and video call sessions (through Google Meet).
I am a member of the BACP (British Association for Counselling and Psychotherapy), meaning I adhere to their ethical code of conduct and I am a fully insured and qualified counsellor.
