Sarah Bates

Firstly, well done for considering investing in yourself and starting therapy. I know I am biased, but I know and see the benefits of therapy, although it is not always an easy journey, the personal benefits for you can be immense. I truly believe therapy is for EVERYONE (me included).

Finding a therapist is about finding the right match for your needs. The therapeutic relationship is really important, I want you to feel safe and be able to talk about things you may not feel you can tell anyone else. This is your time and most importantly this is about you.

Life can be complex, we have competing demands on our time, sometimes it feels overwhelming, stressful and anxiety inducing.

I am very passionate about working with clients to help them understands themselves more clearly. I very much believe that we should not be looking at what is ‘wrong with us’ but should focus on what has happened to us to make us feel, think and behave the way we do. We will work together to find ways for you to look after yourself and help you build on your self-esteem, self-compassion and resilience. Enabling you to become happier and be the best version of yourself.

I have an extensive Registered Nurse background. I spent many years working in the cancer field, supporting individuals and their families come to terms with a cancer diagnosis and the impact of life changing events and how we then have to navigate through managing loss and grief. My knowledge and expertise have shown me how integrated the impact of both physical and mental health are.

My theoretical Psychotherapeutic background is both Integrative therapy and Transactional Analysis. I will use different models, tools and techniques of therapy to find the best fit for the individual. I work with adults, older children and couples, both long and short-term contracts. I am able to offer face to face and on-line via Zoom. 

 I have put together some generic advice below that I hope you will find useful when you are thinking about therapy and assist you ‘opening up’ when we first start our sessions.

1. You will probably never feel fully “ready” to start therapy. There may always be a voice that tells you to push it off, but this is normal! Don’t let this put you off, you have got this far, keep going!

2. You may feel uncomfortable asking questions about me or the type of psychotherapy (I get it!). If you do, please feel free to email them and get your questions answered that way 

3. If you are struggling for questions for your initial session. Here are a few we like…

- Do you have experience treating X (the issue you are dealing with)

- Why did you become a therapist?

- How often do I need to meet with you?

- What type of therapy or modality do you use?

- How will we know if I am making progress?

- Can I be honest if there is something we are doing that I don’t like or feel comfortable with?

- What are your strengths as a therapist?

4. I am not here to give you advice and tell you what decisions you should be making. The truth is therapists are trained to be neutral. 

5. I am here to help you make choices that fit best with your goals and what you want in your life. I may make suggestions, but we will never tell you what to do.

6. We don’t always have to agree! I am trained to be able to support you, which means I am good at not taking things personally! In the end, I care about you getting the best care and meeting your goals!

7. Worried about being judged? Most therapists get into the field of therapy because they have been to therapy before and struggled in some capacity. We do not have it all together and I still see therapists. I am not here to judge! I am here to support you!