A safe and supportive space to explore your feelings, thoughts and difficulties with a professional Humanistic Counsellor.
Welcome!
Hello, I’m Sarah Child. How is your search for a counsellor going? I hope you will find what you are looking for here. On this website, I shall try and give you a sense of my practice and my experience.
I am interested in counselling you through loss, depression, anxiety, loneliness, and relationship issues. I like counselling older clients, and am open to all genders, sexuality, religions, and cultures.
You can find me just west of Worthing town centre. Being new to Worthing, I hope to bring my service to many Worthing residents, looking for a counsellor.
You first counselling session is FREE
There is a £5 reduction for each of 10 following sessions!
Counselling
Many people find counselling helpful as it gives them an opportunity to explore their thoughts and feelings in a confidential and supportive environment.
How does it work?
Counselling is about being with someone who gives you the space to explore your experience in a fresh way. So it’s good to ask yourself if you feel comfortable and at ease with your counsellor. Your first impression is often a good guide.
When you start seeing your counsellor, ask yourself this ~- Will I feel safe enough to talk about my deeper thoughts, feelings, or dreams?
(Trust grows when you know you can rely on your counsellor.)
- Maybe I simply need her to be accepting, open and listening.
- Am I open to some challenges too?
- Maybe her understanding and insight is important for me to feel supported.
- What else might I want or need?
Later as a result of counselling ~- Changes may well develop in the way you think or behave. You may understand yourself better, and feel more able to manage difficult times.
- There’s no absolute promise. Some days you may feel worse! Experiencing painful feelings is difficult, but can also be an important stage in your journey.
- The journey you take with your counsellor will be unique. Perhaps the most difficult part is making the decision to start counselling.
Is it for me?
Making a decision to try counselling is often a brave step in a helpful direction – you hope you can talk about something that has been troubling you, maybe for some time. Maybe you have experienced a more sudden change or difficult loss.
As a rough guide, here are some areas of experience that people bring for counselling therapy- Anxiety, fear
- Addiction, Alcohol
- Bereavement
- Building confidence
- Coping with illness, disability
- Coping with feelings
- Coping in crisis
- Childhood experiences
- Depression
- Eating Disorders
- Emotional, physical or sexual abuse
- Isolation
- Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, or Transgender issues
- Life changes
- Loneliness
- Loss
- Low self-esteem
- Managing stress
- Relationship problems
- Relationship break-up
Benefits of counselling
I offer a safe and non-judgmental space for you to talk about and explore your thoughts, feelings and life. This can bring relief when there are things that you have not previously been able to properly talk about or acknowledge with others.
Your capacity to trust may develop more easily in a counselling relationship. You may feel you can express yourself more freely, or contact deeper feelings. The experience of being really listened to can also help you discover your own resources, or maybe generate healing. The quality of personal trust and warmth, with the time and place set aside especially for you makes a counselling relationship uniquely therapeutic.
Counselling can therefore lead to- Increased self-esteem and feelings of confidence
- Improvement in relationships
- Better understanding of self and behaviour
- Increased ability to express yourself
- Learn new ways to cope with problems in your life
- Emotional healing
As a Humanistic counsellor, I believe in our potential to live a more fulfilling and happier life. But that is never a path of roses and sunshine! Darker times, endless struggles, and strong emotions seem to impede our progress. Maybe there is not a shred of hope.
Then, asking for help can be the hardest decision to make. But it could be the first step to real change.
Being stuck in repeating patterns of behaviour that are destructive rather than productive may sound familiar to you. You want to escape. Then, within the medium of our counselling relationship you can get to know and make friends with the different aspects of your patterns. This is “soul searching” and even a few steps in this direction are very rewarding.
So counselling may also lead to- Greater self awareness
- Discovering your creativity
- Change or acceptance
Sessions
I offer weekly sessions of 55 minutes which may continue for an agreed period. The number of counselling sessions varies from a short course to ongoing counselling sessions, offering more depth and support.
Free first session.
This may be over the phone, or in the counselling room. Meeting or talking together is helpful before embarking on a course of counselling.
The standard fee for a counselling session is £38
Students pay £25.
Concessionary rate available for retired people or those with a low-income. Please enquire.
About me
I have happily lived in Sussex since 1990 and love being close to the downs and the sea, while also close to the town.
I have lived in several countries, and encountered different Cultures, so my life experiences have been unconventional.
I have been a counsellor since 2005. I consider this work profoundly helpful and effective, and I love giving this help.
I also teach the Alexander Technique one-to-one. Alexander sessions are separate from counselling, and conducted in a different setting.
I have practised meditation and mindfulness for most of my adult life, initially to help with my own pain. Now this practice nurtures my abiity to be an understanding and clear thinking counsellor.
Professional training and experience
My qualification is in Humanistic Integrative Counselling, after two years at Wealden College. This Diploma in Counselling course has been accredited by the British Association for Counselling & Psychotherapy. This diploma integrates the theories and skills in Person Centred, Gestalt Counselling and Transactional Analysis Therapy.
After counselling courses lat Sussex Downs College, I first trained as an “Action for Change” counsellor spevialising in serious alcohol problems. I have counselled adults of all ages at the Women’s Centre, and with Age UK Counselling Servive in Brighton and Hove. I was awarded the Counselling Diploma in March 2011.
My practice is near to the centre of Worthing. All are welcome to the counselling room for a free initial assessment.
Call me today to discuss how counselling can help you, or to book your first session.
Service Categories
Counselling
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