Sarah Childs

I know that taking the first step to begin therapy can be daunting. My aim is to provide a warm and supportive environment where you feel safe to explore what is going on for you, free from judgement. I work in a collaborative way, appreciating that you are the expert in your life but that, through working together to understand what you are experiencing, new insights might be discovered.

I am particularly interested in relationships and the power they possess to transform our lives, being passionate about the importance of human connection. I believe that early relationships influence how we relate to ourselves and others, and that the therapeutic relationship can help to make sense of these experiences and work towards change. Through my extensive experience working with bereavement and heartbreak I also have a deep appreciation for the impact of loss and what is needed to support clients through this.

Although I place emphasis on individual relationships, I also like to think about the wider system and how societal forces can have an impact. I have a strong interest in how the pressures of today’s world, especially the rise of social media, have an influence and I focus much of my wider work on how this relates to young people’s mental health. I have a longstanding passion for helping young people navigate the various challenges they face, this being the main driving force for pursuing my training in counselling psychology 7 years ago. My doctoral research looked at the University of Bristol’s change to a harm reduction approach to student drug use.

I am a registered MBACP therapist with a master’s degree in psychology and I am in the final stage of my Professional Doctorate in Counselling Psychology, currently making final amendments to my thesis. My training is integrative which means I can work with a variety of evidence-based models, including CBT, person-centred and psychodynamic, tailoring the work to your specific needs. I have over 6 years of experience working in mental health settings, including the NHS and charities. My experience includes working with depression, anxiety, mood disorders, complex trauma, bereavement, relationship difficulties, identity struggles, stress.

I am excited to be a new member of the team here at TRC.