Counsellor in Wokingham near Bracknell and Reading
Welcome
Hello, I’m Sarah. Welcome to my website specialising in Adult Individuals and Couples counselling in Wokingham near Bracknell and Reading
Are you suffering from stress, anxiety or experiencing disturbed sleep? Maybe you're feeling down or depressed and have lost interest in the things that you used to enjoy? Is a relationship going wrong and you want to get it back on track to a happier place or need to break free from it? Do you lack confidence and wish that you had better self-esteem? Have you experienced trauma or abuse and it is affecting how you live your life now? Have you suffered a bereavement or life event and have been left with feelings of no control over your life?
It may well be that more than one of those questions apply to you. Add your experience of the Covid pandemic to the mix and those existing problems could have been exacerbated or new ones created; The earlier enforced isolation from family, friends, normal routines and activities, increased stress and anxiety and could have had an impact on your relationships. As the time approaches when restrictions are to end, life is meant to be getting back to normal, but what is the new normal? If you are exhausted from looking for answers, feel ‘stuck’ and just want someone who will listen, understand your situation without judgement and help you to navigate through this difficult time to a better place, then I can help.
I aim to build a therapeutic relationship with you that is unique to you and offers what you need. I offer a safe and supportive space where we can explore coping strategies for the situation you find yourself in and a path towards a future that is either free from the anxiety and stress that you are facing now or at least a place where it is more manageable.
As an experienced BACP Accredited Integrative Counsellor, I use a range of counselling therapies to work alongside you as you journey towards increased self-awareness, greater compassion for yourself and ultimately feelings of control over your life. I use my counselling approaches for individuals and couples interchangeably (couples work tends to be more proactive and solution focused) so that the therapy meets your needs and goals and moves at a pace that is comfortable to you.
My belief is that we are the sum of our experiences and so I find it helpful to look at what has gone on in your past and what is going wrong now (as well as what is going right!). Relationships with parents and childhood experiences influence our future relationships and by understanding the subtle or maybe stark influences from the past, I hope that you will be empowered to find those elusive answers and perhaps new thinking and behaviours that are more helpful.
Experience
The therapy can be short term or open ended and, with regular reviews, you can ensure that you are getting the most from our sessions. I have worked both short (12 weeks) and longer term (a year or more) with many Individuals and Couples facing difficulties including:
In addition to my private practice, I am a counsellor at a BACP Accredited Counselling service in Camberley where I see both Individuals and Couples.
I previously led a bereavement support service in Wokingham where I was a supervisor and ran bereavement training courses. I have over 20 years of supporting clients through their unique experience of grief and loss. I also understand that we experience grief responses (despair, identity-loss, loss of purpose and direction) for various life events; relationship break-ups, divorce, career changes, retirement, empty nests, illness and disability etc and so I often use my bereavement expertise in my broader work as a counsellor.
I have many years experience of working with children on the Autistic Spectrum (in a teaching setting). This experience has enabled me to understand and empathise with different mindsets and perceptions of the world; I understand the social, emotional and practical challenges faced when living with ASD and I ensure that my counselling sessions are accessible whilst being mindful of sensory sensitivity.
I am an Accredited member with the British Association for Counselling and Psychotherapy (BACP) and as such, I adhere to their Ethical Framework for Good Practice in Counselling. As an Accredited Registered therapist, my practice, qualifications and therapeutic approach have undergone scrutiny through the BACP Accreditation and Registration process and they acknowledge that I meet their higher standard as a competent, ethical and independent practitioner.
Different ways of delivering counselling and costs
I am a qualified face-to-face, online (secure video conferencing) and telephone counsellor. The remote therapy (using Zoom and telephone) is only available to people in the U.K. due to different national laws. I have resumed face-to-face counselling in addition to offering Zoom and telephone counselling and I can be flexible between approaches to meet any changing needs.
For Individuals counselling, I charge £50 per 50 minute session. For Couples counselling, I charge £60 per 50 minute session or £100 per 90 minute session (this needs to be agreed in advance). I offer an initial session at a reduced fee, so that you can be sure that I am the right counsellor for you. I accept payment on the day by cash or bank transfer.
Wokingham Counsellor
My therapy practice in Wokingham, Berkshire, is within easy reach of Ascot, Bracknell, Camberley, Crowthorne, Earley, Reading, Sandhurst and Woodley. There are bus routes from both Bracknell, Wokingham and Reading train stations. There is ample parking on the driveway.
Testimonials
I reached out to Sarah after suffering multiple losses over a short period of time, feeling completely overwhelmed and unable to navigate myself through the grief. I was apprehensive about sharing my feelings and emotions with a stranger, but from our very first session Sarah provided a space where I felt safe and comfortable to share how I was feeling. She was empathetic and gentle, and allowed me the time and space to work my way through my grief at my own pace.
I have continued to see Sarah weekly for almost a year and I feel over that time I have been equipped with strategies I can use in my everyday life when I’m feeling particularly overwhelmed. I feel like I have organically explored lots about my childhood and relationships with my family which have helped me to understand particular emotions. I certainly feel better able to live with my losses now and am much more kind to myself because of my sessions with Sarah. (B)
I recently had a series of counselling with Sarah, and from our very first appointment I was put at ease immediately. Sarah had a way of making me open up without putting any pressure on me. She had a great way of making me feel at ease and opening up to my worries. At times she made me laugh and other times made me cry but it was a great relief to pour out all my feelings to someone who I feel really cared. My family are very understanding towards my problem but opening up to a stranger is something completely different. It’s nice to know you are not alone.. Thank you Sarah I really appreciate the help you gave me. (T)
Saved our marriage. (J)
Being able to talk comfortably and confidently has helped me to open up. All the tools and advice have been put in place. This has helped me to understand better and deal with certain situations. I would not have been able to understand certain aspects of my life or what happened without it. I feel so much stronger and have a better understanding of my life. I will always be grateful to Sarah for what she has done for me. (G)
Thank you so much for helping me understand so much about my emotions, myself and how to manage myself in conversations. I have learned things no one has ever explained to me before. Thank you. (E)
Thank you for all you’ve done for us through the last few months, I don’t feel like we would have progressed so much without your help and support. You really helped us with some useful analogies and guidance. It’s reassuring to know you're there if anything changes, however I hope that’s not the case. (U and S)
Sarah helped me work through a particularly challenging time in my life. Her gentle and supportive manner really helped me understand the root causes, surface the priorities and provide a framework for thinking about them. She was flexible in her approach, and gave me constructive ways to reflect on my situation, adjust my perspective and develop a more positive way of thinking. (C)
When I first met Sarah I was in a really bad place. Health anxieties made me feel like I was going out of my mind. Through discussion and exploring coping techniques with Sarah I have managed to get my life back on track. Issues that would have had me spending days worrying now last minutes. I haven’t been able to stop the thoughts about my health but, I can now rationalise them and move on. This is all thanks to Sarah. (M)
What are the next steps?
You’ve taken the first step by recognising you need support and looking at a counselling website. It’s important that you take time to find the right counsellor for you, so have a look at my other web pages, particularly the Individuals and Couples pages where I give greater detail of how our work can bring benefits. If I seem like ‘a right fit’, then contact me by email or telephone with no obligation. You don't have to be alone in this.
I look forward to hearing from you!
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