Sarah Layton

If you’re looking for a warm, pragmatic and compassionate therapist to support you, I might be the person.

We each have an innate sense of what we want and need, but sometimes it can be difficult to access this on our own. 

Having a skilled, compassionate therapist alongside as you go through that process of discovery can really help.

I specialise in working with women, and will support you to develop a deeper understanding of yourself in a way that feels empowering, builds confidence and ultimately helps you feel happier in your day-to-day life.

Talking with me could be useful if you recognise any of these:

• Anxiety or worried thoughts
• A feeling of stress and/or overwhelm
• A difficulty making space for yourself in your life 
• Parenting struggles
• Angry feelings 
• Boundary setting difficulty - with yourself and/or other people
• Family issues
• Relationship difficulties
• Absence of an important 'Other' when you want one
• Low motivation for getting on with the things you normally want to do
• A feeling of being stuck that persists 
• Concerns about your mental health or self esteem

Perhaps: 

• You're grieving - someone special has died or some other life circumstance is affecting you
• You're finding everyday life a struggle
• You wonder if you're 'burning out'
• Peri-menopause or menopause difficulties are getting in your way
• You comfort or binge-eat or have bulimia
• You compromise too much for your own good
• You're experiencing symptoms that seem like ADHD and wonder what to do about it
• Your creativity is feeling blocked 
• Something, anything, has turned your life upside down

Even when things seem relatively settled, life can still feel tricky - sometimes just living can be challenging, and it can help to talk things through with someone who is uninvolved and knows how to listen. Asking for support is a sign of strength.

A bit more about me

A qualified Humanistic Psychotherapist with more than 15 years experience, my approach is Integrative, which means that I draw from a range of psychological theories, including Gestalt and Formative Psychology.   

I am registered with BACP having trained at Spectrum in London. 

I understand High Sensitivity (HSP) and am ADHD and other neurodiversity sensitive.  

I am trauma informed, and will work to help you connect with your physical experience in the present moment to calm your nervous system using Somatic techniques, mindfulness and Polyvagel theory.  I am also experienced in working with difficult relationships with food, body image and creativity. 

It can feel really hard to reach out to someone you don't know, especially when you're at a low ebb, but please do contact me so we can have an initial phone chat. 

Hopefully you will feel better just from taking that first step...

Burnout

If life feels overwhelming, you're constantly under pressure
and have little energy or space for yourself, you may be experiencing burnout.

Perhaps you feel anxious, over stimulated and/or are finding relationships more difficult to manage than usual. 

In therapy you can explore what’s happening, gain an understanding of yourself and what you need, and work towards living with more self-compassion.

Highly Sensitive Women

If you find experiences and places that don’t seem to bother other people challenging, you might be highly sensitive.

Busy places, too much noise, visual stimulation or simply having too much to do can feel overwhelming. Perhaps as a child you were described as ‘too sensitive’, ‘oversensitive’ or ‘shy’.

High sensitivity brings both benefits and challenges.

Together we can explore your experiences and develop ways of managing everyday life that leave you feeling calmer and more comfortable.

For further information, visit: https://hsperson.com/

ADHD and Neurodiversity

If you struggle with focus, organisation or managing everyday demands, or are easily overwhelmed, you might wonder whether you have ADHD or another form of neurodivergence.  If so therapy offers a place in which to explore yourself and develop a compassionate understanding for what you're managing.

I have a particular interest in the challenges and strengths of neurodivergence because of my own experience and that of family members. 

Creativity

If you're a creative person who feels 'blocked' it can be depressing and/or baffling.  Therapy offers space to explore what's getting in the way, and reconnect with your creativity again. As a creative myself, I have particular interest and experience in working with creatives.

Difficulty setting boundaries

When we set healthy boundaries, we can feel more empowered and in control of our lives.

Perhaps you were taught that other people’s needs matter more than your own, or that you must always be helpful and caring. If this is the case, you might say ‘yes’ when you mean ‘no’, and then feel resentful and upset.  You might find yourself regretting your choices later. 

In therapy we can explore what you want more of in your life, and how to say no to what doesn’t work for you without feeling guilty.

Anger

If you were taught that your anger was unacceptable, that it was too much or shouldn’t be expressed, you might find yourself behaving in ways you regret.

Anger is a powerful and important emotion, it tells us important things about ourselves, our needs and our boundaries.  Nonetheless many of us were taught that we shouldn’t feel or express it.

Therapy offers a safe space to explore and understand your anger, and discover ways of expressing it that feel more constructive.

Relationship with food and body image

Our relationship with food is formed very young and society’s expectations of how we might look can contribute to difficulties around food and body image in later life.

Therapy is a place to explore these experiences and come to develop a more understanding and compassionate relationship with yourself.

Please click on the photo to see an in-focus image of my therapy room.  

Some concessions available - please enquire. 

I work in a small village between Wallingford and Henley in South Oxfordshire from a beautiful barn adjacent to my home that overlooks my garden.  I also work online. 

Making Contact

Please do reach out - I'm happy to help you decide whether I'm the right therapist for you. 

We'll start with a short introductory phone call so we can hear each other's voices and set a date for a first session if you'd like to do that.  

At that first session, either in person or online, we'll discuss what's bringing you to therapy and I'll answer any questions you have.  If that feels good we'll set up a time to meet that works for both of us going forward. 

I look forward to hearing from you! 

Sarah