A space to feel heard, understood and accepted
Online person-centred counselling for adults in North Yorkshire, and across the UK, who are experiencing anxiety, self-doubt, relationship difficulties or other challenges in their lives.
I have a particular interest in supporting clients who are struggling to find their own voice in amongst the expectations they feel have been placed on them by others in their lives, or by society as a whole. Perhaps you feel unable to live the life you want to live through fear of being judged, or you feel weighed down by the feeling that your life “should” look different from how it actually does. In sessions we can look at what matters to you, what your values are, and how you can live a life that feels more aligned with who you really are.
To find out more about what sessions with me look like, please feel free to take a look around my website or you can get in touch to arrange a free introductory call.
A bit about me…
Hello, I'm Sara, a person-centred counsellor and registered member of the British Association for Counselling and Psychotherapy (BACP). I'm based in North Yorkshire and offer online and telephone counselling to adults in the local area, and across the UK.
I have a particular interest in exploring how our experiences, relationships and the expectations placed on us can affect the way we see ourselves. This might involve feelings of guilt, shame, self-doubt or a sense that life hasn't turned out quite as we imagined. This area of counselling is one I am particularly passionate about having spent parts of my own life feeling concerned by how others view me, and finding that my mental health and sense of wellbeing suffered as a result. Over time, I have learned to trust my own voice more, and I want to help you to do the same.
My approach to counselling
My work is grounded in person-centred counselling, which means I believe you are the expert on your own life. I won't tell you what you should do or decide what the right way forward is for you.
But that doesn't mean simply sitting and listening. Together, we can explore the beliefs and expectations you've been carrying, where they came from, the parts of your story that feel difficult to face, and the difference between how you really feel and how you think you should feel.
I'll offer empathy, acceptance, curiosity and gentle challenge where it feels helpful, giving you space to understand yourself more deeply and begin trusting your own feelings and choices.
Finding the Right Counsellor For You
Choosing a counsellor is personal. It’s important that you feel comfortable with the person you are talking to and that the relationship feels right for you.
That’s why I offer a free 15-20 minute introductory call. It’s a chance for us to talk briefly about what you’re looking for, and for you to ask any questions and get a sense of whether working together feels right.
There is no obligation to book a session afterwards.
Read the latest from the Open Nest Blog here…
Who gets to decide what your life “should” look like?
A blog about the difficulty of living a life that is true to yourself when other people and society has certain expectations for us. Read it here…
Why do I care so much about what other people think?
A blog about how to separate your voice from the opinions, views and judgements of others, so that you can live a life which feels more true to you. Read it here…
When life doesn’t look the way you thought it would…
It can be hard when life doesn’t look the way we imagined it would, and it’s ok to feel happy with some aspects of life but also feel a sense of loss for things that happened differently from how we expected them to. Read it here…
Why is it so hard to say no?
A blog about why some of us find it hard to say no, what the impact of saying yes to things we don’t want to do is on our sense of self, and how we can live a life that is more true to ourselves. Read more here…
“I don’t know what’s wrong, I just don’t feel like myself”
Sometimes people feel like they need to have a clear problem, or be experiencing a crisis, to have counselling. That isn’t the case though, and if you don’t feel like yourself and would like a space to explore what’s happening for you, counselling can provide that. You can read more here.