Sarah Carter

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she/her
MBACP, BA (Hons) Person-Centred counselling
Accepting new clients
Accepting new clients

This professional is available for new clients.

location_on Colchester, Essex, CO3
Accepting new clients
Accepting new clients

This professional is available for new clients.

About me

If you are noticing overwhelming emotions or a sense of sadness, distress or imbalance, it can help to have someone to meet you right where you are at this point in life’s journey. The time spent in therapy varies according to personal need and can be a long-term commitment or just a few sessions. I offer daytime or evening appointments that are in-person, online or by 'phone. We can meet weekly, fortnightly or by arrangement. I provide an initial 15-minute call in order to understand your needs and expectations of therapy. Please contact me via the email button to arrange a call. PLEASE CHECK IN JUNK MAIL FOR REPLIES TO YOUR ENQUIRY .

As a counselling therapist from a person-centred background, I work with adults and young people (16+) to establish a supportive, non-judgmental relationship where you feel safe to tell your story. From this base we can collaborate to explore, understand and clarify issues or behaviour that can be troubling, challenging and sometimes painful. We might consider past events, current situations or future choices.

These could include thoughts and feelings around relationships, the burden or responsibility of caring for others, difficult decisions or uncomfortable experiences, loss and bereavement, anger and guilt. Clients might describe or explore symptoms associated with anger, anxiety, depression or trauma.

I have a special interest in supporting people living with, or caring for those with complex or life limiting disease (for example dementia, MND or MS), the bereaved, those in a parenting role or who have experienced infant loss. The experience of loss,  or roles such as parent or long term carer, can drain your resources, weigh you with feelings of guilt, sadness or anger, and challenge the value you place in yourself.

Young people face their own unique challenges; I offer an experienced, qualified and safe space where adolescents (16+) can explore and make sense of life today. Teenage anxiety and depression, study stresses, relationship expectations and personal identity are among the many issues young clients bring.  

Where appropriate we might integrate a variety of techniques including creative exploration. Throughout the process your individual experience is acknowledged, valued and held as the focus of our time together.

Some clients want to focus on a single issue, this might be around making a choice or making personal sense of something. Short-term work of between 3-6 sessions might be sufficient in these situations, whether it stands alone or can offer a valuable set of 'steppingstones', where a client might engage in a series of shorter, individual counselling relationships over a period of time. You might picture this as wanting to open and deal with one box of 'stuff' at a time, while other clients may decide they need to clear out the whole attic, opening many boxes, sometimes dealing with the contents of each separately, and sometimes making unexpected connections; this work can take longer and is regularly reviewed, the choice to continue, pause or end safely is yours.

At the outset, a client may not know what they want to do, beyond experiencing a sense that something is unsettling them right now; taking a person-centred approach allows us to construct a bespoke relationship where you can feel valued, heard and free to find a way forward in whatever time that takes.

Click on the 'email me' link above to make first contact.  Provide a brief outline of your counselling needs, a sentence or two including whether you prefer to work face to face, on-line or by phone, and I will contact you to arrange a 15-minute phone chat. From here you may decide to book a no obligation initial assessment session. This and all future appointments currently cost £50 per 50-minute session.  PLEASE CHECK YOUR JUNK MAIL FOR REPLIES TO YOUR ENQUIRY.

There are many styles of counselling and individual personalities within the therapeutic profession. It is important to take time to find the relationship that  suits your personal needs. if that might be me, I look forward to hearing from you.

Training, qualifications & experience

BA (!st Class Honours) person-centred counselling, includes training and experience in face to face and remote working. I currently offer face to face, video and telephone sessions to adults.

 I am highly experienced in  working with family carers of people  living with long-term illness (dementia, MS, MND), and those experiencing loss and bereavement.

I am qualified to BACP competences and experienced in working with Children and Young People, and currently offer face to face sessions for 16years+. I also have an interest in supporting those in a parenting role.

Member organisations

BACP
British Association for Counselling & Psychotherapy (BACP)

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

British Association for Counselling & Psychotherapy
Accredited Register Scheme

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.

British Association for Counselling & Psychotherapy

Areas of counselling I deal with

Other areas of counselling I deal with

  • Carers of people with life limiting illness
  • working with adolescents (16+)
  • living with long-term illness
  • bereavement and loss
  • parenting roles.

Fees

£40.00 - £50.00
Free initial telephone session

Additional information

Fees from September 2024 are £50 per 50-minute session, payable 24 hours in advance. I offer reduced fees of £40 to carers of those living with degenerative illness.

Free 15-minute initial phone call.  Email me, briefly outlining your counselling needs, and I will contact you to arrange a call to discuss how we might work together on your issues. 

No obligation initial session. Following our call, you may choose to book an initial session in person, by phone or video link. This costs £50, there is no obligation to contract for further sessions. It is important that you find the right therapist for you, and a full initial session is probably the best way to see if that might be me.  

When I work

I have some availability from September  2024 for in-person, on-line or 'phone sessions. These currently include weekday daytime, early start or  evening appointments.

Further information

I offer face to face, video link or telephone sessions. In-person work takes place in residential CO3, with onsite parking.

Clients wishing to work less frequently (e.g. fortnightly/ ad hoc) can now access 'phone or video sessions.

 I have upcoming  availability for daytime sessions for new clients from June 2023, and limited evening/weekend appointments.

Colchester, Essex, CO3

Type of session

In person
Online
Phone

Types of client

Young adults (18-24)
Adults (25-64)
Older Adults (65+)

Key details

DBS check info

In England and Wales, the Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS, formerly known as CRB) carry out criminal records checks for individuals working with vulnerable groups, such as children. To find out more, visit gov.uk , or contact this professional directly

Free parking on site. ground floor counselling space with household step and door width. Telephone or Video link counselling available.

Online platforms

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Whatsapp
Sarah Carter
Sarah Carter