Sarah Lighten

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she/her
MBACP
Available for new clients
Available for new clients

This professional is available for new clients.

Farnham, Surrey, GU9
Available for new clients
Available for new clients

This professional is available for new clients.

About me

You are here because something is or has happened to you and you need someone to help you understand it.

What can I offer?

To be by your side on this journey and help you start to answer some of the questions you ask yourself.

I will listen, really listen, to your story. How often in life do we get the space to talk uninterrupted without judgement or prejudice, free of opinions and reactions?

The therapeutic relationship is an essential part of making counselling work. I offer a warm, welcoming, private and protected space where I will be present and consistent. Where I can start to recognise and understand your feelings, help you express what you find difficult and build up your sense of trust and safety in the relationship.

It can take time to find the right counsellor and you may search directories, keep coming back to a website, keep going to phone or email. Reaching out really is an act of courage and bravery so I offer a 15 minute chat so we can see if we’re the right fit and if you get a good sense of what it might be like to work with me. 

Ongoing sessions are 50 minutes long and are offered on a weekly basis at the same day and time each week. This helps to create a sense of consistency, predictability and certainty which can feel soothing when life is hard. 

The way I work can help with a vast range of things, but particular interest areas/experience are as follows: 

Generalised Anxiety Disorder and feelings of anxiety.

Depression. 

Parent/and adult child relationships – challenging relationships with parent or adult child. Estrangement, enmeshment.

Young adult (18-25)

Perinatal period – thinking about starting a family /planning a family /IVF/postnatal (postnatal depression) and ongoing parenting.

Parents facing challenges with their young children – this may be behavioural, special educational needs or additional needs/disabilities and the impact this can have on the parent/carer and wider family.

Neurodiversity – diagnosed ADHD, Autism, Sensory Processing Disorder, OCD or awaiting for or thinking about diagnosis

I work in an open ended way which means I don’t put a limit on how long you need to work through your stuff. 

Training, qualifications & experience

I’m a Registered Member of the BACP with a Diploma in Psychodynamic Psychotherapeutic Counselling. 

Particular interest areas from personal experience, additional training or previous volunteering:

Anxiety and or Depression 

Parent/and adult child relationships – challenging relationships with parent or adult child. Estrangement, enmeshment.

Young adult (18-25)

Perinatal period – thinking about starting a family /planning a family /IVF/postnatal (postnatal depression) and ongoing parenting.

Parents facing challenges with their young children – this may be behavioural, special educational needs or additional needs/disabilities and the impact this can have on the parent/carer and wider family.

Neurodiversity – diagnosed ADHD, Autism, Sensory Processing Disorder, OCD or awaiting for or thinking about diagnosiS

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

Other areas of counselling I deal with

The way I work means I can help with a number of challenges. This list is not exhaustive nor specialist so please always reach out so I can get a better understanding if your needs. 

Photos & videos

Fees

£40.00 - £60.00

Additional information

I try to work to a sliding scale so these are guide fees. 

When I work

I typically work daytime hours but please enquire if you need an evening appointment. 

Further information

I work online and in person 

Farnham, Surrey, GU9

Type of session

In person
Online

Types of client

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

Key details

There are around 6 shallow steps up to the property. Parking is available directly outside or close by. Online sessions available to those unable to leave their home.

Online platforms

Microsoft Teams

Social

Sarah Lighten
Sarah Lighten