Sarah Bainbridge

This listing is for my outdoors counselling practice.  When I am not working inside, I have some availability for sessions at Lyth Hill on weekdays, during daylight hours.  If talking outside appeals to you, please read on...

I believe in my clients' potential to change and the science of neuroplasticity (the ability of the brain to heal by forming new connections and pathways).  My experience of the positive, life changing effects of counselling - increasing your ability to think, feel and perform at your best - gives me confidence in the process.  Understanding that counselling may bring about real change and improvement to your mental health and wellbeing can bring hope where there are feelings of hopelessness.

You don't have to deal with your emotions alone.  I understand that the idea of speaking to a stranger about your life and the difficulties you are facing, can be daunting at first but it can feel very freeing to talk to someone who listens without judgement and criticism.  In fact, you might even find it easier to talk about problems and worries to someone who is impartial rather than friends or family.  I work in a very gentle and caring way and I will listen to whatever you bring with respect and compassion.

A counselling session with me is professional yet informal.  You have control over what you want to talk about.  I offer a flexible approach to appointments and you can book weekly, fortnightly, monthly or as and when you feel you need someone to talk to.  Please contact me if you have any questions or would like to book a session.

Standard sessions last up to fifty minutes and are priced at £45 (concessions of £35 are available for students, trainee counsellors and people who are unemployed or on a low income - please let me know if you are eligible for sessions at the lower rate).  Longer sessions - up to 90 minutes long are available at the higher rate of £60.  These longer sessions may be suitable if you feel standard sessions are too short or if you find you need time to settle into sessions and transition ready to leave.

Contact me for more info on how we can work together to help you manage life’s challenges with increased confidence, strength and resilience.  If you have any questions or would like to book an initial session, please ring and leave a voicemail, send me a text message or email with your details and I will get back to you as soon as I can (usually within 24 hours).  If you would like to speak to me before booking a session, I can phone you for a short chat, free of charge, to help you decide whether what I offer matches your needs.  

I look forward to hearing from you.

Outdoor Counselling

There are lots of reasons why people choose outdoor counselling.  Some people prefer to talk side by side, rather than face to face.  Some enjoy the benefits of walking in open spaces.  Some feel safer being out in the fresh air.  Sometimes it's just good to have a change of scenery.  If you would like to spend more time sitting than walking, we can choose to sit on a bench or on the ground using sit-mats, if this is comfortable for you.  Let me know your requirements and we'll decide on the best location/route for your counselling sessions, together.  

We can be prepared for most conditions and temperatures and dress accordingly but if severe weather is forecast, there is the option of switching to online or telephone counselling or to rearrange for when the weather is less extreme.

Before the first session, we can discuss via email, text or short phone call, the types of difficulties you are experiencing and any specific requirements you may have.  Being outside on a potentially windy hillside does not make filling out paperwork very easy!  For this reason, I will send you a copy of the working agreement and some questions for you to answer and send back to me, before we meet.  Your answers will help to give me an idea of whether I could be the right counsellor for you.  The initial session is an opportunity for you to tell me more about yourself and experience how I work.  After this, we can decide whether what I offer matches your needs and if we would like to continue working together.

Appointments are available at my cosy counselling room, in Weston, Oswestry, on Wednesdays, Thursdays and Fridays until 8pm.  

I offer a flexible approach to appointments and you can book weekly, fortnightly, monthly or as and when you feel you need someone to talk to.  

The counselling room is situated on the ground floor and there is free parking close to the entrance.  There is a step into the building.  If you have a portable ramp, this can be used to facilitate access for a wheelchair.

I will be taking two weeks holiday from Friday 19th July 2024 until Friday 2nd August 2024.  I may not be able to reply to enquiries during this time.

I believe in my clients' potential to change and the science of neuroplasticity (the ability of the brain to heal by forming new connections and pathways).  My experience of the positive, life changing effects of counselling - increasing your ability to think, feel and perform at your best - gives me confidence in the process.  

Understanding that counselling may bring about real change and improvement to your mental health and wellbeing can bring hope where there are feelings of hopelessness.

You don't have to deal with your emotions alone.  I understand that the idea of speaking to a stranger about your life and the difficulties you are facing, can be daunting at first but it can feel very freeing to talk to someone who listens without judgement and criticism.  In fact, you might even find it easier to talk about problems and worries to someone who is impartial rather than friends or family.  I work in a very gentle and caring way and I will listen to whatever you bring with respect and compassion.

A counselling session with me is professional yet informal.  You have control over what you want to talk about.  I offer a flexible approach to appointments and you can book weekly, fortnightly, monthly or as and when you feel you need someone to talk to.  Face to face, online and telephone counselling sessions are available.  You can end your sessions at any time.

I have experience counselling children (age 11+), young people and adults encountering many different types of problems, challenges and mental health difficulties. These include anxiety, depression, bereavement, domestic abuse, disordered eating, neurodiversity - autism and ADHD (diagnosed/suspected), family issues, low self-esteem, social anxiety and relationship issues.

I also offer counselling outside at various locations around Oswestry and Shrewsbury.   Inside counselling is available at the Roy Fletcher Centre in Shrewsbury town centre on Monday and Tuesday afternoons.

I am qualified to level 5 with the CPCAB, having completed diplomas in psychotherapeutic and person centred counselling.

I have also completed training in cognitive behavioural therapy (CBT) and counselling children and young people.

Relevant continuing professional development includes understanding domestic abuse, mental health first aid, children and young people's mental health, understanding autism and understanding diabetes.

I have completed further training in online and telephone counselling as well as outdoor counselling. I have regular safeguarding and child protection training and have an enhanced DBS check certificate. I have also completed Prevent and safeguarding vulnerable adults training.  I am first aid at work and outdoor first aid trained.

If you would like to use mindfulness, relaxation or breathing techniques to help anxiety, we can incorporate these into sessions. I can also offer coping and grounding strategies.

Using creative interventions alongside talking therapy is an area I have also had training in and pens, pencils, paint, sand and stones can all be used according to your preferences. These techniques can help express feelings without using words - whatever your age.

Contact me for more information on how we can work together to help you manage life’s challenges with increased confidence, strength and resilience. If you have any questions or would like to book an initial session, please ring and leave a voicemail, send me a text message or email with your details and I will get back to you as soon as I can (usually within 24 hours or sooner). If you would like to speak to me before booking a session, I can phone you for a short chat, free of charge, to help you decide whether what I offer matches your needs.  

I look forward to hearing from you.

Before booking an appointment, we can discuss - by email, text or short phone call - the types of difficulties you are experiencing and any particular requirements you may have.  Please feel free to ask me any questions, at any time.  I aim to reply with 24 hours; I am often able to respond quicker than this.

If you are interested in booking a session, I will email a working agreement for you to read through and agree to before we meet.  This gives information about the way I work and the boundaries of confidentiality.  If there is anything you would like to add to the agreement or change, then we can discuss this and make adjustments.

At the beginning of the initial session, I will ask you to sign the working agreement and to answer a few questions that are relevant to our work together.  You will have the opportunity to tell me any information that you think might be useful for me to know before we begin.  You can experience my way of working and we can decide whether what I am offering matches your needs and if we would like to continue working together.  There is no obligation to book another session.  If you decide to continue and would like a regular time slot, this can be arranged.  

Standard sessions last up to fifty minutes and are priced at £45 (concessions are available at £35 for students and people on a low income - please let me know if you are eligible for the lower fee). Shorter sessions are available for children and young people, if required. Longer sessions - up to 90 minutes long are available for adults at the higher rate of £60. These longer sessions may be suitable if you feel standard sessions are too short, if you would like more time for working creatively or if you find you need time to settle into sessions and transition ready to leave.