Sara Ward

I work flexibly on Wednesday, Thursdays and Fridays. Please contact me to discuss times and days that suit you.

Hello and thank you for looking at my profile. I'm Sara, a qualified, registered counsellor (BACP) and trauma therapist, offering in-person therapy in York, and via Zoom nationwide. From November 2024 I will no longer offer face-to-face work, but I will continue to offer Zoom appointments. I have over 25 years experience of working with people who are experiencing difficulties such as depression, anxiety and panic, phobias, eating disorders and psychosis. I specialise in working with trauma, for which I usually recommend EMDR rather than talking therapies. 

You may know that your problems have been caused by past experiences such as loss, trauma or relationships, or you may feel unclear where they have come from and you may need the space to explore this. I offer a free 20 minute consultation in which we can talk about the issues you are facing and work together to find the approach that will help you. My aim is to help you achieve  your potential by working together on the issues that are preventing you from doing so. 

I will offer you a safe space to discuss how you want to work, to discuss your thoughts and feelings and to explore the issues that are holding you down. I am interested in working with the body-mind connection; evidence shows that the body holds memories, which may show up years later as anxiety, phobias, depression or chronic pain. Alternatively, we can explore creative or practical ways of working to help address the issues you are facing. We will work at your pace, to ensure that you feel safe and confident in our sessions. 

BSc (Hons) degree in Psychology and post-qualifying certificates in CBT and Eye Movement Desensitisation and Reprocessing (EMDR - the most effective treatment for trauma).  

I offer two main therapeutic approaches, depending on your preferred way of working:

Humanistic Counselling allows us to explore your thoughts and feelings, to learn about the patterns in your life and to look for ways of healing these so that you can live a more congruent and fulfilled life. In this approach, my role is to work with you to consider how the past and the present may be linked; we will work as a team and I will follow your pace to ensure that you feel safe and respected at all times. I may draw on other approaches if I feel it would help you, such as CBT or creative work, if you feel happy with this.

Eye Movement Desensitisation and Reprocessing (EMDR) Therapy is a structured approach to treating past trauma and Post Traumatic Stress Disorder symptoms such as flashbacks, panic attacks and nightmares. Traumatic experiences change the way our brains respond to current situations, and we may find ourselves reliving the past over and over again. In terms of treating trauma, EMDR is the fastest, most effective way of dealing with the past and helping you to move forward and live a life with reduced symptoms. Anxiety, depression, chronic pain and phobias can also be treated with EMDR. I also use EMDR in a coaching approach to help people reach their potential and overcome any blocks that are holding them back. 

I offer weekly or fortnightly appointments on days and times to suit you. If you need to be more flexible I will try to accommodate you in terms of the times we can meet.

I offer a free, no obligation 20 minute consultation over Zoom in which we can discuss the problems and issues you are dealing with, and decide together how you would feel most comfortable addressing them. 

If you then decide that you would like to work with me we will arrange our future sessions for a day and time to suit you. From November 2024 I will only be offering online Zoom therapy. Counselling sessions run for 50 minutes, whilst EMDR sessions are a minimum of 60 minutes.