Sally Elsen

Please contact me via e-mail or contact number to inquire about current availability. If I cannot offer sessions at this time, I will signpost other relevant support you may wish to explore.

Hello, my name is Sally Elsen and I am a BACP Accredited Therapist working with children, young people and adults. I hold postgraduate qualifications in play therapy and integrate creative arts into my clinical practice with CYP. My practice is fully insured and governed independently by the BACP ethical framework.

I retrained as a Counsellor following a twenty-five-year teaching career and have worked with numerous concerns including; Anxiety, Abuse, Trauma, Anger, Relationship issues, self-esteem, Attachment, Child related issues, self- harm, Childhood trauma, stress, loss and SEND (special educational needs and disabilities.) Within my Private work, I have extensive experience of counselling children in primary schools and young adults as a therapist in private practice. I also take referrals from several local charities. I am fully insured, hold an enhanced DBS check ,receive regular safeguarding training and am committed to trauma- informed, child centred practice. I work with Children from age 4 upwards.

Training

BA Hons degree in Humanistic Counselling: University of Chichester

Post Graduate Diploma in Play therapy : University of Chichester

CPCAB Level 6 Certificate in Therapeutic Counselling supervision ( Complete December 2026)

CPCAB Level 5 certificate in counselling children and Young people ( working within the BACP Children and Young people competency framework)

BA Hons degree and Post Graduate Certificate in Education ( Qualified Teacher status)

Twenty five years teaching experience in Primary school and Special Educational needs and disabilities leader. 

I provide a warm, safe and accepting space for CYP to explore emotions and process tricky experiences. While traditional talking therapy works well for adults, children and young people often need a different language. That is why I specialize in integrating play and creative arts into my practice. I hold a Post graduate Diploma in Play therapy. This allows me to use sand, clay, puppets, art, music and movement to help young clients process trauma, anxiety, loss and big life changes. My practice combines traditional counselling models with creative mediums like art, movement, sand, music and play. This integrated approach allows me to tailor interventions effectively for children and young people who may struggle to verbalize their distress.

The aim of therapy is to create a supportive and safe space where you can share any problems and worries that you have. Counselling can help you increase self-awareness and gain a deeper understanding of yourself and your life's circumstances. This can then enable you to make choices about how you want to move forward in your life. As your therapist I will facilitate and not give you advice or tell you what to do.

At the beginning of therapy you and I will decide the focus of the counselling work and how long we will work together. We will both take part in regular reviews so that we can both look at what you have achieved and what you are still working towards, what is helping and what is not helping.

The sessions are 50 minutes in length for adults and young people. For children the sessions are 30 or 40 minutes in length. They take place in my small purpose built garden counselling studio. I work short term (6 to 12 sessions )and also longer term sessions that may be open-ended.

A minimum of 12 sessions are recommended for a play therapy intervention.

Sessions are led by your needs and are usually held at the same time on the same day each week.

I offer no charge for the first introductory session so that you can decide if you want to work with me. In this session we can talk about what brings you and how therapy may help you. If you want to take some time to make your decision that is all fine. We will also discuss how many sessions may be right for you and we will review this regularly. Sessions are then charged at £50 per session and are paid a week in advance.

Fees are payable by cash or a bank transfer. A receipt will be given.

Cancellations require a minimum of 24 hours notice otherwise a missed session will still be charged.