Sarah Kennefick

Hi I'm Sarah and I specialise in working with anxiety, depression and trauma. Maybe you are feeling overwhelmed, anxious or exhausted. Maybe you are struggling to cope with a traumatic life event. Or maybe you are generally finding life unmanageable at the moment. If this sounds familiar, my therapeutic approach can help you regain some strength and control. At times we can lose our way unintentionally and then find it very difficult to get back onto the right path.

Counselling and psychotherapy can help us to unpick why we are feeling as if life is such a struggle and help us to start living more authentically and true to ourselves. In order to do this we need to take an holistic approach and look at the whole picture of our life. This entails looking at our thought patterns, feeling responses and physical life. This will help us to bring back a sense of balance.

My approach is warm and friendly. It is a form of therapy that allows you time and space to explore and face challenging emotions, difficult decisions and life-changing events in a safe, neutral and non-judgemental environment. As a result of deep exploration you can better understand yourself and the choices you have made. This insight can also teach you about how you are preventing yourself from living a fulfilled life if this is relevant to you. New perspectives and choices then become available to address areas of difficulty in your life. If you have experienced a traumatic event then we need to allow time and space to grieve and heal. I incorporate up to date neuroscience research into my work as well as working directly with the nervous system, in a trauma informed manner, to bring about improved regulation where appropriate. I integrate Internal Family Systems therapy and EMDR where relevant. 

Internal family systems therapy, or IFS therapy, is an approach that recognises the different ‘parts’ within us and a core inner Self. It’s thought that our core Self is calm, connected and compassionate, but our access to it can be hindered by other parts which can become extreme in nature due to life experiences. This can lead to unhelpful behaviours, including addiction, perfectionism and self-criticism.

The aim of IFS therapy is to help you acknowledge and communicate with your different parts, understand them and reconnect with your core Self. The hope is that the Self will take charge and help the parts work harmoniously together. 

EMDR or Eye Movement Desensitisation Reprocessing is a type of therapy designed to help stop difficult memories from causing distress. EMDR looks to help you properly process  traumatic memories, reducing their impact and helping you develop healthy coping mechanisms. It is achieved through an eight-phase approach to address the past, present, and future aspects of stored memory. This involves recalling distressing events while receiving 'bilateral sensory input', including side-to-side eye movements, hand tapping, and auditory tones.

Therapy works in a variety of ways but it is through the unique relationship between client and counsellor that allows healing and change to take place. Through mindful work we can discover patterns and make connections. Through gentle challenge and compassionate acceptance we can bring about change. The relationship between client and counsellor is the vehicle for change and so it is vital that you feel comfortable, safe and at ease. An initial, trial session is therefore important.

Having witnessed myself and many of my clients moving through difficult emotions and traumatic life events, I have great confidence in our capacity as humans to change and grow.

My counselling approach can help with:

Depression, Anxiety, Fear, Trauma, Addiction, Anger, Confusion, Exhaustion, Inability to cope, Relationship difficulties, Overwhelming Feelings.

My focus is on the whole of you as a human being and not solely the issues you bring. This is because there is no proven single approach that works best for any particular issue other than the quality of the relationship between you and your counsellor. My aim is for us to build a quality, meaningful relationship that will help you to make sense of your world. From this stance you can make informed choices and bring about change for the future.

Sessions fees are £55 for online therapy and £60 for in person. EMDR is £70 online and £75 for in person.  I have a couple of concession rates available each month for people on low income.

I welcome counselling students who need to undertake mandatory therapy as part of their training.

I welcome clients from the age of 18 from all cultures, backgrounds and beliefs.

Sessions

Sessions last for 50 minutes (EMDR is 60 minutes)  following the initial assessment session to ensure you feel comfortable with me, the environment and my style of work. The number of sessions required depends on you and your individual need, but my aim is to work with you so that you feel strong enough to move forward without counselling in the shortest amount of time. We may work in a time-extended manner where appropriate if this is your request.


I work from two practice bases; one in Birmingham city centre and one in South Birmingham. There is easy access to parking and bus routes from both practices.

Confidentiality

All sessions are bound by a strict code of confidentiality and as part of BACP requirements I undertake regular supervision to ensure you receive the quality service to which you are entitled. Supervision is carried out without identifying you or your personal details. I am a professional member of BACP and therefore abide by its rigorous code of conduct: the Ethical Framework for Good Practice in Counselling and Psychotherapy (2018).