Sarah Medland Counselling

"We think we listen, but very rarely do we listen with real understanding, true empathy. Yet listening, of this very special kind is one of the most potent forces for change that I know"

Carl Rogers (1975)

Counselling and Psychotherapy

Do you feel life is getting you down at the moment?

Or you simply can't cope as well as you would like?

Counselling can help improve your confidence and raise your self esteem. It can support you with various issues including personal relationships, work stress or past trauma. It can support you with feeling sad, depression, anxiety and isolation, especially useful in the recent challenging times which have been difficult for many people.

Counselling supports a clients ability to make the changes necessary to improve their life by accessing the clients own inner capacity for change. This inner capacity is in every one and can be accessed and explored through skilful listening, gentle challenging and attunement to the client by the counsellor. This exploration allows the negative behaviours and emotions to be released.

My Approach

I work by supporting my clients on the very personal journey they are on. I strongly believe every client has the capacity for change and feel this is achieved through the clients own exploration, determination and courage.

Through compassionately inquiring and carefully listening, clients feel heard and understood, sometimes for the first time in their lives which allows a deeper look at their current situation. I offer a safe environment for the client to explore and investigate their issues and hopes for a better future.

Being heard, understood and accepted can help you can let go of old patterns and move towards a happier future.

Counselling can help with:

- Anxiety

- Relationship Issues

- Addiction

- Personal Development

- Work Issues

- Depression

- Health

- Stress

- Loss

- Confidence Issues

- Sports Performance

I offer general counselling to help support clients and I also specialise in working with adult survivors of childhood sexual assault.

Childhood abuse is a trauma that significantly impacts every aspect of the growing child and therefore the adult. In the child, the brain develops differently, the nervous system is impacted which causes later issues of nervous system dysregulation. Psychologically and emotionally the affects of childhood abuse are felt on so many levels that adult survivors can struggle, many for years to find support that works for them and that supports them in growing into healthy and content adults

BACP Ethical Framework

I work within the ‘British Association of Counselling and Psychotherapy ethical framework’ (2018) which can be found on the BACP website and offers guidance on ethical working practice. Ensuring that as a practitioner I work in a way that is in the best interests of the clients at all times. This includes having regular supervision to discuss client work.

To make sure I am working within the BACP ethical framework I see a supervisor monthly. This is to support my work and make sure I am always working to the best of my abilities with the clients I see. Confidentiality is always adhered to.

Working environment

I work with clients on the telephone or online. I am not offering face to face work at present. I suggest to clients that for our sessions together they are in a private comfortable space where they can relax and feel safe. I encourage clients to have blankets, cushions and a cup of tea on hand!

I feel clients benefit from working from the comfort of their own space and have found this to be very beneficial in aiding the initial establishing of the therapeutic alliance. It also offers more convenience and flexibility for the client.

Clients typically book in once per week and I suggest keeping this interval for at least 6 weeks as this consistency is useful in establishing and building up a strong therapeutic relationship. After 6 weeks sessions can continue to be weekly or bi weekly depending on the needs of the client.

About Me

In 2005, I gained a post graduate diploma from Bridgwater College in Integrative Counselling and went on to work for the next 4 years in a local secondary School. I also worked in a local charity with 11 to 25 year olds.

In 2019, I gained another diploma in Counselling from City College Southampton in Person-Centred Counselling. I completed voluntary placements in Winchester Youth Counselling and Portsmouth YOU trust where I worked with a variety of clients across all ages.

I completed a degree in person-centred counselling in 2021 from Middlesex University where my interest in childhood abuse led me to I focus my learning on the impacts of trauma, completing my dissertation on childhood sexual abuse. I read, learnt and attended workshops from many amazing trauma therapists including Gabor Mate, Peter Levine and Bessel Van Der Kolk and have found their research to be invaluable in our understanding of trauma.

I currently work for an organisation that specialises in domestic violence and sexual assault. This work involves counselling adults who have historically or currently experienced one of these areas. Alongside this work I run a busy private practice.

As part of my continuing professional development I regularly attend workshops and seminars on all areas of mental health and Counselling work. These courses have included: working with adult survivors of childhood abuse, safe guarding with adults and children, working with disability and working with the mind body - TMS (Tension myositis syndrome}

I am also very interested in how our body is affected by our psychology and have undertaken several courses on working with the innate capabilities of the mind and how the mind can facilitate healing. I am extremely interested in the mind body approach and the work of John Sarno and his years of research into TMS which is a concept that he developed and used to treat many pain conditions, particularly chronic undiagnosed pain or diagnosed syndromes like fibromyalgia which have no structural basis to them.

I welcome clients who have medically unexplained symptoms and wish to explore alternative approaches to working with their symptoms

Contact

Contact Us

Fees

My fees are £60 per 50 minute Counselling session.

I also offer some reduced price sessions for people on low incomes or for students.

If you would like a complimentary 20 minute initial conversation please call me and we can arrange one.

This initial consultation offers us the opportunity to speak with each other and gain an understanding of what you would like to achieve from counselling and also offers you the opportunity to chat through any questions or concerns you may have about what counselling will involve.