Sarah Murphy

Hello, I am Sarah and I am a qualified and a BACP registered Person-Centred Counsellor.

My expertise comes from over 10 years of supporting clients who struggle with anxiety, intrusive, negative thoughts, and helping people to manage physical sensations.

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 can help you to feel more in control and less consumed by anxiety. 

Anxiety is very unique to each person, and you may experience different symptoms whether that be physical sensations and/or fearful and self-defeating thoughts in your mind

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.

It is absolutely possible to recover from and learn how to live free from everyday anxiety. 

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.

Now, everyone will experience anxiety in their life. We have anxiety to protect us from danger. It’s our body's natural defence mechanism.

When we experience intrusive thoughts (which everyone has, and it is completely ‘normal’) 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 to your conscious awareness.

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.

My fundamental framework and approach is Person-Centred, but I also integrate other approaches into the counselling sessions where appropriate. The other approaches I have had training and certificates in are CBT (Cognitive Behavioural Therapy) T.A (Transactional Analysis) and Mindfulness.

Individual Counselling: £55 for 50 Minute session

Initial Counselling session: £55 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.