Sarah Murphy
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This professional is available for new clients.
This professional is available for new clients.
About me
I'm Sarah and I am a qualified Person-Centred Counsellor offering individual counselling.
My expertise comes from over 15-years of supporting clients who struggle with anxiety, intrusive, negative thoughts, and managing physical symptoms of anxiety and panic.
My experience of supporting individuals in mental health and counselling settings is that talking therapy, being heard, affirmed and validated, along with equipping yourself with practical tools/coping strategies can help you to feel more in control and less consumed by anxiety.
Anxiety is very unique to each person, it can present itself in different ways, such as, intense worry, fear or dread, restlessness and irritability, difficulty concentrating, patterns, obsessive thoughts.
Physically we can experience rapid heart rate, sweating, muscle tension, fatigue and weakness, unsettled stomach, loss of appetite, dizziness and disturbed sleep.
Behaviourally we can experience avoidance of triggers, social withdrawal, obsessive-compulsive behaviours and substance abuse.
Anxiety is often rooted in real life experience. None of us are born anxious. It develops, often as a result of negative comments or from not feeling nurtured or supported, as well as traumatic life events. We 'carry' negative messages about ourselves which can then become fixed as real beliefs about who we are.
It can leave you feeling as though you have little control over it, filled with fear and often not knowing why it’s happening or what you can do to help manage the thoughts and physical sensations.
Now, everyone will experience anxiety in their life. We have anxiety to protect us from danger. It’s our body's natural defence mechanism. But when it starts to become debilitating and all consuming with everyday life, it becomes problematic.
By talking about anxiety in therapy, it gives it ‘less power’ in your mind. When we’re in the ‘fight or flight mode’ everything can feel very scary and heightened. It’s about discovering your triggers, where they have stemmed from (whether that be from early years of your life, or a recent event), and exploring them and finding ways to help manage them, in order to feel less panicked.
When we experience intrusive thoughts, we can often keep these in and not share them, in fear of being judged, or think that no one will understand. This leads to ruminating (battling things over in your head/trying to make sense of/replaying past events or worrying about the future). This is incredibly exhausting, all very consuming and often leaving you feeling that you're not able to be present with your everyday life, and your loved ones around you.
This often keeps the anxiety ‘alive’ in your mind and re-fuels it. By talking about it openly in a safe, supporting space, gives you the opportunity to release your thoughts so that you can gain more headspace and clarity as to why you’re experiencing fearful thoughts.
In sessions I would be exploring with you when you first noticed anxiety arise in your life. It may well be that you’re not conscious of this information initially, and that’s okay, it’s what I can support you to help discover, and bring into your conscious awareness.
It is absolutely possible to recover from and learn how to live free from everyday anxiety.
I offer a warm, gentle and professional approach. When we feel anxious, we very often feel vulnerable and scared to open up, as naturally we want to protect ourselves. I will offer you a safe space, and go at your pace, working with what you feel is comfortable to bring.
I offer short and long-term counselling
Training, qualifications & experience
- 2009-2012 Foundation Degree in Science in Person-Centred Counselling University Of Brighton. Studied at Sussex Downs College
- 2007-2008 Counselling Skills Programme - 9 Credits at Level 2 & 9 Credits at Level 3 - Sussex Downs College, Eastbourne
- 2007-2007 Introduction to Counselling - 3 Credits at Level 1 Sussex Downs College, Eastbourne
- Member of the BACP (British Association for Counselling and Psychotherapy)
- Working towards accreditation.
- I am a fully insured Counsellor
Additional Certificates/training
Social Anxiety Disorder
Trauma and Dissociation
CBT (Cognitive Behavioural Therapy)
Transactional Analysis
Psychodynamic approach
ASIST. Applied suicide Intervention Skills Training
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
My fundamental framework and approach is Person-Centred, but I also integrate other approaches into the counselling sessions where appropriate. These are as follows;
CBT (Cognitive Behavioural Therapy)
T.A (Transactional Analysis)
Psychodynamic Psychotherapy
Mindfulness.
Therapies offered
Photos & videos
Fees
£60.00 per session
Additional information
Individual Counselling: £60 for 50 Minute session
Initial Counselling session: £60 for 50 Minute session
The initial assessment is for you to get a sense of whether you would feel comfortable working with me and for me to assess if I can meet your needs.
Please feel free to get in touch. I will respond as soon as possible and please note that all methods of contact are strictly confidential.
When I work
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I currently work Monday, Tuesday, Thursday and Friday mornings
