Sarah Ward


Every professional displayed on Counselling Directory has been independently verified by our team to ensure they have suitable credentials to practise.
This professional is available for new clients.
This professional is available for new clients.
About me
I know from experience that it can take courage to take that first step and reach out to someone.
I offer compassionate, professional counselling, and EMDR to individuals. Whether you're struggling with stress, relationship issues, grief, anxiety, trauma or other personal challenges, I’m here to support you in finding clarity and healing; whether they are past or present concerns.
I am passionate about my work believe that the relationship between client and counsellor is at the heart of the counselling process.
As an adopted person who has found and met my birth mother and eventual second rejection, I am keen to work with people who are exploring their own adoption story.
Being a counsellor is not just about what we read in books and what training we have, but it is also about life experience. Fears of growing older, less able, how our relationships change, how we perceive our usefulness.
I am an accredited counsellor with 10 years of experience helping people navigate life’s difficulties. I’m here to help you feel heard, understood, and empowered to make positive changes in your life."
I work from home in Leigh on Sea, both in-person and via Zoom. I am located close to main bus routes and with parking nearby .
If you're ready to take the first step toward healing and growth, I’d love to hear from you. Reach out today to see if we’re a good fit. Together, we can work through what’s holding you back and move forward with confidence.
Training, qualifications & experience
- BA (Hons) in counselling (First Class)
- Foundation Degree in Counselling (Distinction)
- Counselling level 3
- Counselling level 2
- BACP Certificate of Proficiency
- BACP Accreditation
- Qualified EMDR Therapist
- Mental Health Training (1) (Mind)
- Mental Health Training (2) (Mind)
- Psychological Trauma training (Mind)
- Introduction to Psychological Trauma (Mind)
- Psychological Trauma for Counsellors (Mind)
- Managing Anxiety (Mind)
- Suicide Awareness (Mind)
- Certificate in Counselling Supervision
- Moving your Practice Online training
- Certified Cyber Therapist
- Level 3 Safeguarding Adults
- Level 3 Safeguarding Children
- Level 3 Information Governance
- I have trained with Place2Be working in placement in Tower Hamlets
- I have volunteered for 18 months with Changing Pathways (formerly Basildon Women's Aid), and 3 years with South East & Central Essex Mind
- I have 20 years' experience of working with children with emotional and behavioural difficulties.
- As well as my own private practice I am a staff counsellor with HARP (Southend's Homeless Charity).
I am an Accredited Member of the BACP (British Association of Counsellors and Psychotherapists) and as such work I meet their higher standard as a competent, ethical and independent practitioner working within their ethical framework for good practice in counselling and psychotherapy (www.bacp.co.uk) undertaking regular supervision and 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
Therapies offered
Fees
£60.00 per session
Concessions offered for
Health Insurance/EAP
Additional information
£60 payable cash or BACS, concessions are sometimes available, please ask.
When I work
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I am available for online or in-person counselling and EMDR therapy - please enquire as to what times are mutually convenient.
Further information
So what to expect?
Firstly, I do know it feels scary, or even weird. This is a perfectly normal reaction.
In the first session I will carry out a brief assessment during which I hope to establish some general information about you. During this time we can also hopefully begin to get a feel for how working together will feel.
What happens next is individual to each client. Some can't wait to get started whereas some take longer. Both are fine and so is anything inbetween.
I work in my own home so the number of sessions is totally up to you. You may want 4 sessions, 40 or 400. I have the flexibility to work with your needs.