About me
Life, work, relationships, health - they weren't meant to feel this hard! Are you constantly overthinking, 'Sunday dread' but EVERYday, on edge, 'people pleasing', procrastinating or just not feeling 'good enough'...?
Social anxiety makes relationships feel hard. You want help to stop feeling like this. You have a hunch your childhood was complicated and your relationships with work and family members need boundaries, but you feel anxious and guilty too!
Therapy with EMDR (an approach approved by the NHS and World Health Organisation) can add something really special to traditional counselling; helping you to process and move on from difficult family, childhood and adult experiences.
It allows you to start feeling better about yourself, your relationships, family and work, less stuck in your head and freer to move on from difficult memories. I support clients who have ADHD too.
Message or call on 07852 464345 to arrange a free, no-obligation initial chat about how I could support your well being.
How I can help
I love what I do and have 12+ years experience doing it so you know you are in safe hands.
I have a particular experience and interest in helping clients manage anxiety (previously, as an Anxiety UK approved therapist), difficult childhoods (EMDR therapy) and complicated mother-daughter relationships (with lived experience myself, I have helped hundreds of adult women to heal emotional wounds around their mothers). Please note I work with individuals only.
I offer a therapy called attachment-informed EMDR, alongside counselling, which will help you understand yourself better and change repeating patterns of behaviour that don't serve you well, manage critical self-thoughts and recover from and handle tricky family or romantic relationships, anxiety and 'people-pleasing'. I have helped hundreds of people (usually women but I work with all genders) who feel like this to start to feel calmer and happier.
Working together, therapy will give you practical strategies to help you cope better, alongside deeper exploration of unhelpful behavioural patterns which keep repeating to support longer term improvements in your mental health and well being.
What is it like working with me?
Life can be a challenge and finding a counsellor can be hard. I bring kindness, humour and understanding to the process, helping you to relax and enjoy your therapy. That's not to say it won't be hard at times, but we will work together, at a managable pace, to help you start feeling better and change your life.
I am a friendly, non-judgemental, down-to-earth person who will welcome you warmly and challenge you gently.
Having been there myself, I understand how difficult it can be to contact a therapist. You may worry your problems aren't "serious enough" to ask for help or that you will feel judged or embarrassed. I will listen carefully and offer bespoke approaches to suit you.
When is a good time to have therapy?
Many people reach out after struggling alone for too long and realising that their mental health is impacting their lives. Your relationships with family and friends may be difficult and exhausting. You may feel down, stuck or hopeless. Or you may see what other people have in their lives and feel it’s not fair (“Why can’t I have that too?!”).
Why not send me a message and let’s explore how we can work together to improve your quality of life? This starts with a free, 15-minute, no-obligation conversation to learn how I can help you. If I don't think I am the right person to help, I will let you know that too and suggest people who may be a better fit for you. Call me today on 07852 464345 and let's get started.
My experience and background
- I have worked as an Anxiety UK-approved therapist, at Mind and Cambridge University.
- Fully qualified in the NHS-approved EMDR trauma therapy.
- 12+ years experience helping hundreds of clients to improve their mental health and well-being.
- A postgraduate qualification in working with young people
- I set up and ran a counselling service in a girls secondary school for 7 years.
What do people say about having counselling with me?
Choosing a counsellor is a very personal decision. You need to feel at ease with the person you are going to see. Here are some of the things my clients have said about having counselling with me:
"Sharon is a warm, genuine and caring counsellor. She came across as very empathetic and understanding, yet would also challenge me when needed. Sharon helped me deal with my inner demons, fears, anxieties and low self-esteem." EW, Client
"I saw Sharon for depression and anxiety. I was nervous and not really sure what to expect. I was there seeking help for a problem that had been part of my life for over 20 years. However, Sharon's friendly and calm approach soon made me feel I was in safe hands." - ND, Client
"I have grown as a person since having counselling with Sharon and for that I am very grateful. I have recommended a friend to contact Sharon, since our sessions have finished, as I hold her in very high regard." EC, Client
"Starting counselling was the start of a real turning point in my life. Sharon provided a safe, comfortable environment. She was non-judgemental and gave me the space to explore my feelings." KS, Client
Give me a call on 07852 464345 or send me an email to book in a first session.
Training, qualifications & experience
- Advanced diploma in humanistic integrative counselling (a professional qualification accredited by the BACP)
- Diploma in humanistic integrative counselling
- Certificate in humanistic integrative counselling
- EMDR (a specialist therapy for trauma) qualification (parts 1, 2 and 3)
- A Postgraduate Certificate in Working with Children, Young People and Families from the Tavistock Centre
- Practitioner Skills in Eating Disorders Diploma from the National Centre for Eating Disorders
- BSc degree in psychology.
- Sharon is an accredited member of the BACP and a certified Cognitive Behavioural (CBT) Coach.
The courses Sharon has completed include:
- Attachment informed EMDR
- Safeguarding children and young people
- Online counselling
- Working with eating disorders
- Installing boundaries
- Mindfulness
- Working with shame.
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
- Friendships
- Mother-daughter relationships
- Sleeping problems
Therapies offered
Photos & videos
Fees
£85.00 per session
Concessions offered for
Additional information
Fees are £85 per session for a 50 minute session. Sharon has three reduced-fee spaces available at any one time, priced at £65, for clients on low incomes, unemployed people and counselling students. Please know that these are in-demand and not always available.
When I work
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Further information
Sometimes the most difficult part of choosing a counsellor is making that first contact. To help you make that choice I am happy to answer any questions or concerns you might have.
To talk in confidence, please call me on 07852 464345 or click here to send her an email.
