Sarah Avern
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This professional is available for new clients.
This professional is available for new clients.
About me
Have you ever been told that it's good to talk and that "a problem-shared is a problem halved" and yet you find yourself holding back on opening up about your problems or emotions with friends or family for fear of being judged, rejected or burdening others with your problems?
This is one of the main reasons that I myself turned to counselling in the past, and was also one of the main factors damaging my overall mental health and wellbeing.
My name is Sarah and I am a fully qualified and DBS checked Person-Centred Psychotherapist with experience working with adults and teens both within the education system and also within a Respect-accredited private agency setting.
I work with a range of issues including anxiety; depression; relationship issues; lack of self-confidence; self-harm; school refusal; stress; loss and bereavement; and surviving abusive relationships.
My previous background is within the legal profession and so I also have experience of working with clients suffering from work-related stress and anxiety. It is due to my own experiences of therapy and the transformative changes that occurred in my life as a result, that led me to retrain as a Psychotherapist to offer the same support to others.
- How can Counselling help?
As a person-centered therapist, I very much believe that, given the right supportive and non-judgemental environment, we can work together to process past experiences, any traumas or relational issues and develop not only greater self-awareness, but also improved self-acceptance and compassion.
Therapy can seem daunting and so taking that first step of making contact with a therapist is a huge step forward in prioritising your mental health and well-being.
- What to expect at our first session together?
Our first session will typically last between 50 - 60 minutes and will involve getting to know more about what it is that you would like to achieve through our work together and also finding out what is happening for you right now.
It will also give you the chance to decide whether I am the right therapist for you as the relationship is key to therapy being most effective.
- How to make initial contact
Please do not hesitate to contact me for a free initial discussion (either by telephone or on Zoom) so that I can answer any questions you may have.
Training, qualifications & experience
Qualifications/training (most recent first)
- BSc (Hons) Degree in Counselling & Psychotherapy (1st Class)
- Level 1 Certificate in Dyadic Developmental Psychotherapy
- Complex PTSD & Dissociation: CBT Clinical Skills training
- FdSc Degree in Counselling & Psychotherapy (Levels 4 & 5) - specialising in Person-Centred Psychotherapy
- CPCAB Level 2 Certificate in Counselling Skills
Clinical experience
- I have spent the past 3 years working with children and young adults in a secondary school setting and also in a Respect accredited Domestic Abuse counselling agency.
- I have also worked with adult survivors of domestic abuse and I have completed additional training in Complex Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder as well as Dyadic Developmental Psychotherapy (level 1) for working with children and their families.
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
Therapies offered
Fees
£50.00 per session
Free initial telephone session
Additional information
Concessions for student counsellors will be offered. Please feel free to contact me further to discuss.
