About me
Hi! I'm Sarah, a qualified and registered person-centred counsellor and I specialise in perinatal mental health. I support women during pregnancy and postpartum, as well as parents who have experienced baby loss and miscarriage, and the heightened and overwhelming anxieties felt with pregnancy after loss. I also support women going through IVF treatment and fertility issues, and the heartache and emotional turmoil this can have on your life.
Did you know that during pregnancy, depression and anxiety are the most common mental health problems, affecting around 12-13% of women? In the first year after birth, around 15–20% of women experience depression and anxiety. Here is where I come in.
I understand how difficult it can feel trying for a baby and experiencing pregnancy loss. I can support you by sitting with you through your journey to motherhood and understanding what you're going through, so that you feel less alone. I can help you to unpick your feelings which feel overwhelming, so that you can better understand what's going on for you.
I can support you with low self-confidence, anxiety, depression and relationship difficulties. We can do this together by building a trusting therapeutic relationship, which can then positively impact on your relationship with yourself and others. We can explore different tools together that help you to cope better.
As a mother myself to a toddler and also a mother who's experienced miscarriage, I understand how beautiful, yet incredibly challenging motherhood can be, and you don’t have to go through it alone. You deserve support, and together we can navigate these anxieties so you can feel like yourself again. It doesn't matter what stage you're at on your journey, I will meet you exactly where you are, through to where you vision yourself to be. Healing isn't linear and we can ride the waves of your life together, so that you don't feel alone.
Training, qualifications & experience
As a mother myself, I'm extremely passionate about women feeling supported holistically, and it's important to me that your voice is heard. Perhaps you'd like to unravel your fears around birth? Have you had a traumatic birth experience which is preventing you from living a life you envisioned with your baby? Perhaps your children are a little older now and you're ready to find you again? Do you have fears around what your maternity leave might look like? Maybe you can recognise symptoms of postnatal depression and you're struggling to cope because you feel alone in your experiences?
Feelings of guilt, isolation, loss of identity, resentment, anxiety, low self- confidence and low self-esteem are all common emotions which can surface before, during and after birth. I can help you to better understand your needs by deeply connecting with you and honouring the space and time you deserve.
I have over 16 years experience working within educational settings, which has been a fundamental part of learning to use counselling skills with adults and children. This includes the role of a Nursery Nurse, Pre-School Teacher, Teaching Assistant and Nanny. I have always loved working with children and their families. Working as a Nanny for 7 years allowed me to develop strong relationships with children, young adults and their families. This is where my career as a Counsellor began, as I was passionate about supporting others one-to-one. I felt the Person-Centred approach was really suited to the skills I have to offer and developing the therapeutic relationship.
Alongside my private practice, I have also worked for a breast cancer charity, in particular supporting younger women. This involved supporting those who have recently been diagnosed with breast cancer, to adjust and adapt to a life-limiting illness. I have a particular interest in supporting women and would love to hear from you if you’ve been considering counselling.
Please see my below qualifications, and if you have any questions please do feel free to ask during our consultation call.
- NCFE CACHE Level 2 Certificate in Counselling Skills
- NCFE CACHE Level 3 Diploma in Counselling Skills
- CPCAB Level 4 Diploma in Therapeutic Counselling
- BA Hons Degree in Early Years Education Studies
- BTEC Level 3 Diploma in Early Years Education
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 provide both traditional talking therapy online and walk & talk sessions in a safe, local outdoor setting in Birmingham. Walk & talk therapy can be a gentle, flexible option for new and pregnant mums who may already be out walking with their baby or who feel more comfortable talking side-by-side rather than in a therapy room.
Therapies offered
Fees
£55.00 - £70.00
Concessions offered for
Additional information
Individual session cost is £70 for 50 minutes. I offer concession rates for students and trainee counsellors which we can discuss during our intro call. I offer online sessions, telephone sessions and walk and talk therapy in the outdoors. This is in a safe, local park in Birmingham.
You don't have to commit to just one therapy space, we can mix our sessions up so that some are online and some are walk and talk in the outdoors if this feels right for you.
When I work
| Mon | Tue | Wed | Thu | Fri | Sat | Sun | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Early morning | |||||||
| Morning | |||||||
| Early afternoon | |||||||
| Late afternoon | |||||||
| Evening |
I currently have some spaces available so please do let me know what works best for you and I'll do my best to ensure we can have a diary match that feels right for us both. I'm looking forward to hearing from you!
Further information
Accepting new clients
If you would like to find out more about how we could work together, I offer a free 30 minute introductory call. I'm looking forward to hearing from you!
If childcare is a challenge, please don’t worry, your little ones are always welcome to join you in sessions. I see how hard you’re working!
