Sarah | CBT and Integrative

Introduction

Hello, I'm Sarah, a qualified cognitive-behavioural therapist, mediator, and group-work facilitator.

I come from a family of people who work in mental health, so psychology and how we think and feel has always fascinated me.  Before I found my way into therapy, I worked across a pretty wide range of jobs: call centres, hospitality, clothing shops, local council offices supporting people with housing and benefits, further education, and eventually a lengthy career in the arts and live events.  Which is really just a long way of saying I tried a lot of things before I figured out what I was meant to do.

I moved into the arts because I believed, perhaps ambitiously, that it could help change the world, or at least nudge people to see beyond their own experience.  I still think that's true.  But I reached a point where I wanted to work more directly with people, so I trained as a therapist.  During that time, I realised how hard it can be to explain creative life to someone who's never lived it.  The irregular income, the uncertainty, the way it bleeds into your identity: all of that can affect your mental health and relationships in ways that are hard to articulate.  I also began supporting young adults in further education and came to understand just how disorienting the transition from school to college, university, or the wider world can be.

All of those experiences shape how I work.  I don't think there's one neat path through life, and I'm not going to pretend otherwise.  What I can offer is a space where you're genuinely listened to, without judgement, and where we figure things out together at a pace that works for you.  Sessions can be conversation-based, involve practical CBT exercises, or dig into things like family dynamics and core beliefs, whatever feels most useful.  If you want to know what a first session might look like, just get in touch.