Sarah May Thorpe
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This professional is available for new clients.
This professional is available for new clients.
About me
I am an experienced therapist, having experienced my own personal life/professional challenges, I can offer a compassionate, sensitive and insightful therapy.
'We are always learning about ourselves and others'.
I am currently accepting adults for EMDR, this is for anyone who has past trauma, PTSD, OCD, anxiety, social anxiety, phobias that are robbing you from enjoyment and pleasure in your close relationships, life , home and work.
I also offer sand tray therapy which also is a powerful approach to processing trauma.
If you experience thoughts, or feelings that connect to for e.g. feeling bad, guilt, worthlessness, a sense of responsibility for everything, fearful of people and the world, these can be symptoms of PTSD.
After a trauma, or traumatic experiences, in childhood or adulthood, EMDR might be the best therapeutic intervention for you.
Your Reasons for Psychotherapy and Counselling
'You matter, your life matters, no one can decides what matters to you'.
At times in life we will struggle, feel stuck, feel helpless and tired.
We will inevitably feel anger, sadness, frustrations that slow us down, affect our relationships and sense of worth.
Depression and anxiety can often be symptoms of other underlying, or unresolved recent, or past experiences.
Counselling is a confidential service. Talking helps us to make sense of what's happening, or happened. We can put together pieces of your jigsaw, connect the dots and find a way forward.
Therapy is also a time to download your emotions, express what you need to in a safe space, where you can say things out loud and not be judged.
I offer a combined approach in the therapy room. During the pandemic I've attended many creative courses to integrate working creatively, interactively, on and off line, if you prefer an 'out of the box' approach.
My aim is to be inclusive to all.
Depending on age, ability and the individual, talking, and/or working creatively can support you to express and communicate difficult emotions and experiences.
Adults
Depending on your need, will depend on what approaches we take and how we interact in the sessions. You are in control of your own therapy.
We explore what is important to you, what's affecting you.
If you’ve experienced childhood abuse and/or other traumatic experiences, some clients need /prefer to have long term therapy.
I offer therapy to individuals who have been abused, sexually, emotionally, physically and neglect.
I align with Carolyn Springs beliefs and approaches to working with sexual abuse and have completed some of her training and various training for working with sexual abuse.
You are in control of your therapy, how much time you need to be in therapy and when you want to stop. For some individuals, short term therapy works well.
Family conflict/relationships If we can allow ourselves to open up to exploring family dynamics, attachments and roles, we can find this helps understand ourselves and family members.
Misunderstandings and not listening to one another, creates a divide and friction in relationships.
In therapy, we can start to open to acknowledge and accepting we are different, unique individuals and can and often hold different beliefs in one family.
Working through family history and our relationship often holds keys to opening doors, you will start to connect the dots, and will gain a deeper insight to your past and present.
Many people describe reconnecting with others and create closer relationships.
Or, in some cases, make their own decision to end relationships that are harmful.
If you are in a coercive, controlling relationship and feel it's harmful and unhealthy for you, therapy can help you explore what is happening and clarify what you need. You are responsible for making your own choices, if you choose to stay in a relationship, or leave. I cannot advise you on this. Other domestic abuse services can advise and offer practical support.
Emotions such as fear, panic, terror, are warning signs. You may feel trapped, isolated and lonely. Avoiding people. Loss of confidence and feeling worthless. These are only a few examples of how unsafe relationships can affect us.
Couple /Parenting Relationship problems The first initial sessions are valuable and insightful to understand your needs and your hopes and wishes for you both. This is structured but tailored to your own needs.
You may be having difficulties getting along with your partner, or with others in general. Talking together with a counsellor can help you gain a clearer perspective and help you to understand your own and other peoples behaviour, feelings and thoughts.
Loss/Bereavement- Losing someone, whether it is through separation or death, whether it was expected or not, can create a tsunami of emotions, like a tidal wave we will feel the emotions rush in and out, from feeling immense pain, sadness, relief, numbing, enraged, so many emotions and thoughts.
Grief can feel numbness, emptiness, nothingness. It is usual for many people to feel detached. You might experience thoughts like `what's the point` or `what's the meaning of life`.
Or thoughts like....What if, and if only, or what could i have done, did i do enough?
Grief at times is love, how we felt for that person, will be the depth of the grief.
Grief can look like and feel like anger, at what we wanted, or hoped for with the person who died. You might grieve for the loss of that person, relationship and the loss of future hopes and plans.
Your grief is yours alone, a place of safety to begin to express your emotions.
Talking about life, death and dying is an area I have worked on myself for many years and feel open to explore with others, how you feel, what you believe in and what you are experiencing.
Death is part of life, taking time to talk about how we feel about our own life, what is the meaning and purpose of it all, is part of what I can offer you, if that is what you want.
Redundancy/work issues
It is a big fear for many people at this present time. You may benefit from some short term counselling to help you cope and cross the bridge to find out where to go next in your life.
Feeling anxious? Feeling nervous, anxious or on edge is a barrier to enjoying life.
Let’s explore your anxiety and find the roots causes . Let's explore what's going on. In my years of experience in listening to clients and various training, anxiety can triggered by buried emotions, deep fears and the inner conflict. I call this, the battle with the self.
Depression/feeling low - the reasons for depression are different for us all, however we experience similar symptoms. Feeling exhausted, lacking in motivation, generally not feeling well and good in ourselves. Exploring the root cause with a counsellor is one way to take a step forward to find a deeper insight and understanding.
Feeling lonely is often part of depression, feeling guilty, tearful, stuck and much more.
Whatever you are experiencing, is your experience, my role as a counsellor is not to tell you how you feel, or what to do.
My role is to emotionally support you to navigate your own personal journey, to explore your personal experiences and to find your own sense of self (autonomy) being you, or who you want to be.
Training, qualifications & experience
- Email Counselling
- Part 1, 2 & 3 of EMDR
- Level 1 of EMDR for children
- Working with autism CPD
- UNDERSTANDING ADHD CPD
- Current- DBT diploma
- Creative Therapies CPD
- Sand tray Therapy CPD
- Couples Counselling Tavistock
- Working with Children Dip May 2016 - Lindum college
- Stress Management DipMarch2015 - Stonebridge
- BSC Therapeutic CounsellingSept - Leeds Met
- PTTLS Northern College
- Leadership and Management Northern College
- Working with Parents Northern College
- Triple P Level 4 June
- Diploma in Counselling Sept Barnsley College
- Group work skills
- Diploma in NNEB Doncaster College
- Stress Management Dip Stonebridge
- BSC Therapeutic Counselling
- PTTLS Northern College
- Leadership and Management Northern College
- Working with Parents Northern College
- Triple P Level 4 Parenting Programme
- Diploma in Counselling Barnsley College
- Working with Children Diploma (Bacp endorsed )
- Bsc Therapeutic Counselling
- Level 4 Diploma in Person Centred Counselling ABC
- Group work skills
- Cognitive Disorders CPD
- Cognitive Behaviour Therapy CPD
- Working with Parents Level 3 City and Guilds
- ILM award in leadership and management skills
- Accredited in the Triple P Positive Parenting in group and individual sessions
- NNEB Diploma
- PTTLS
- Identifying child sexual abuse.CPD
- Child sex exploitation CPD
- Dance and Drama Therapy CPD
- Solution focused CPD
- Working with older people CPD
Member organisations
school Registered / Accredited
Being registered/accredited with a professional body means an individual must have achieved a substantial level of training and experience approved by their member organisation.
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
Emdr
Email Counselling
Therapies offered
Fees
Free initial telephone or online session
Concessions offered for
Health Insurance/EAP
Additional information
For individuals/families on low income /students only please enquire
I have some limited spaces for concessions.
When you enquire ask me if there are any spaces available for the lowest rate.
Weekly sessions are recommended and most effective, fortnightly sessions can work and this can manage cost and time.
When I work
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My general working hours are Monday -Thursday with some out of hour exceptions.
It is safe to send a text message and/or voicemails.
Please ask for a call back.
Further information
My experience, skills and training are based in working with the following:
- Mild/severe Depression
- EMDR for trauma
- Anxiety
- Couple and relationship work
- Low self esteem, confidence
- Family relationships
- Childhood issues
- Bereavement
- Mental health
- Relationships
- Separation and divorce
- working with young people/children
- Self harm
- Social anxiety
- older people