Dr Sarah Spencer
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This professional is accepting new clients but may have a waitlist. Please enquire with them directly to discuss availability.
This professional is accepting new clients but may have a waitlist. Please enquire with them directly to discuss availability.
About me
Hi, I’m Sarah, a BACP registered integrative psychotherapist and counsellor.
Reaching out for therapy can feel like a big step, especially if you’re used to managing on your own, supporting others, or keeping yourself busy just to get through. Making that first contact often takes courage - and it’s normal to feel unsure about whether your difficulties are “big enough” or whether you really “qualify” for support.
The truth is, there’s no one right reason to come to therapy. Some people arrive in crisis, but many don’t. You might be carrying a lot quietly, feeling restless or overwhelmed, or noticing that life simply feels harder than it should. You might just want things to feel different, even if you can’t put into words exactly what needs to change. Wanting things to feel easier is reason enough.
For some people, therapy feels like a natural next step. For others - especially those in demanding professional roles, or who are used to being capable and successful - it can feel much harder to reach out. You may be someone who is relied upon by others, “high functioning” on the surface, but inside feels exhausted, stuck, or like you’ve lost touch with yourself. It can be difficult to believe that a therapist will really understand what you’re carrying, or to allow yourself the same care you give to everyone else. In our work together, you don’t have to prove yourself or keep up a front. Therapy is a place where you can put that burden down, reflect honestly, and begin to reconnect with what you need.
I believe in the power of a confidential, safe, and non-judgemental space - somewhere you can be heard and understood without pressure or expectation. Therapy offers the chance to pause, reflect, and be fully yourself, with all the messiness, contradictions, and confusion that can bring. It’s a space where you don’t need to pretend, mask, or hold it all together.
My role is to listen deeply, to walk alongside you, and to support you in making sense of what you’re going through. Together, we can explore your challenges and begin to find new perspectives, new possibilities, and a gentler way forward.
Training, qualifications & experience
I am a registered member of the British Association for Counselling and Psychotherapy (MBACP), having completed the Postgraduate Diploma course in Integrative Counselling and Psychotherapy; I am now completing the research dissertation for the MA in the same field.
I have worked as a volunteer counsellor with Mind and as an associate counsellor with the Cardiff University Counselling Service, supporting clients with a wide range of experiences and needs. These roles have helped me develop a flexible, responsive approach to therapy, tailored to each individual.
Before retraining as a therapist, I had a long career in hospital medicine. I qualified as a doctor (MB BS) and went on to achieve fellowship of the Royal College of Surgeons (FRCS) and the Royal College of Emergency Medicine (FRCEM), along with postgraduate qualifications in medical education and clinical leadership. While I no longer practise medicine, this experience gives me insight into the pressures faced by people in demanding roles and the challenges of balancing professional and personal wellbeing.
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
Therapies offered
Fees
£70.00 per session
Additional information
My standard session fee is £70 per 50-minute session, payable in advance. I don’t currently advertise concession rates, but I am happy to discuss affordability if this would be a barrier to accessing therapy. I aim to make therapy as accessible as possible, and am happy to explore options if cost is a concern.
When I work
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Further information
I have a particular interest in supporting people who are neurodivergent, or who have spent years masking or feeling misunderstood. Having a space where you can drop the performance and simply be can be especially valuable.
I also welcome clients who are exploring questions of identity, including LGBTQIA+ experiences, and those navigating life transitions - whether that’s changes in relationships, career, or personal identity. Therapy can provide a safe, non-judgemental space to reflect, make sense of change, and discover new ways of being that feel authentic to you.
My approach is inclusive, warm, and flexible. I aim to create a space where everyone feels seen, heard, and respected, whatever their background or experience.
