Sarah Ford

Tuesday and Wednesday evenings

Friday daytime

For more than 15 years, I have worked as a counsellor supporting people through experiences of difficulty, change, and emotional pain. Alongside my private practice, I have spent almost 20 years working in schools, where I developed a deep understanding of the pressures young people face and the systems that surround them. This experience continues to shape my work with both young people and adults.

My therapeutic roots are in psychodynamic practice, which means I am curious about how your early relationships and life experiences have shaped the patterns you live with today. I also draw on CBT approaches where helpful, offering practical tools alongside deeper exploration.

Being trauma‑informed is central to how I work. I hold a strong awareness of how trauma affects the body, mind, and sense of self, and I work with care to ensure therapy feels safe, steady, and empowering. My aim is always to reduce shame, not reinforce it; to offer compassion rather than judgement; and to create a space where you can speak freely and be met with understanding.

I don’t believe therapy should be prescriptive. Instead, I listen closely to what you need and adapt our work so that it feels meaningful and supportive for you. 

Qualifications:

• Level 5 Diploma in Trauma Informed Schools and Communities (2024)

• BSc (Hons) CBT Approaches (2022)

• HE Diploma in Contemporary Psychodynamic Therapy (2010)

• Certificate in Counselling Skills (2007)

Individual Counselling

Individual counselling is available to address all sorts of difficulties including:

Anxiety, depression, low self-esteem, self-harm, panic, unwanted thoughts, family and relationship problems, divorce, bereavement, past issues, childhood abuse, addiction, confidence issues….to name but a few. However, some people don’t know why they are feeling the way they do and sometimes just don’t feel right. Therapy can be a space to be heard with empathy, and without judgement. It is a safe place for you to bring all that is hard for you to manage. Through talking and processing together, therapy can be helpful to clarify and understand your feelings. Some people find that this helps them to their own solutions and to feel more settled, others find great value in just being heard.

 Teen Counselling

Some young people feel that they are being sent by their parent or caregiver to therapy. I strongly feel that any individual in therapy should feel that they are central to the process and that it something they choose to do. Contracting will ensure that there is an understanding between young people, parents and myself about what feedback can and will be given about the sessions.

Sessions with adolescents sometimes involve play and creative elements and often have a focus on psychoeducation. I am experienced as a safeguarding lead and have in-depth knowledge and understanding of many special educational needs as well as the common challenges that can be experienced in childhood and teenage years.

Goal Orientated and Coaching Sessions

Coaching is a solution-focused conversation, where solutions and goals are central to the work. Coaching is focused on thinking and planning for the future and uses the principles of growing self-awareness and identifying strengths. Sometimes coaching can be used alongside counselling, where more in-depth exploration of barriers (and the reasons for them) can be used to powerfully motivate change. 

If you would like to find out whether therapy is right for you, I offer a free 15 minute consultation phone call. Alternatively, I will respond to emails.

Our first session will be a chance for you to make sure that you feel comfortable and happy for us to work together. I will ask questions to find out what has brought you to therapy and to hear your story as well as your hopes and wishes for your therapy. Through this process of assessment I will let you know how we might work together and what the expectations and goals of therapy will be.