Sarah Benkwitz – Helping you build a better life
BABCP Accredited CBT Psychotherapist & CFT / ACT / EMDR Practitioner
The search for a contented and satisfying life is not easy. It’s even more difficult if you’re wrestling with a negative inner voice or baggage from your past.
• Are you coasting along feeling ‘ok’, but have forgotten real joy or peace?
• Are you feeling on high alert, struggling to feel good enough, safe, or know who to trust?
• Are you dragging your body out of bed each morning, spending the day wishing you could crawl back under the covers?
• Are you trying to plug a hole deep inside, or find the ground beneath your feet?
• Have you been deeply wounded by a trauma?
I get it.
It isn’t your fault; it’s because the human mind is both a blessing and a curse.
Get to know your body and your mind
Humans have an effective threat response system that can see problems in just about anything and trigger strong feelings. It is helpful if we need to escape from a lion or a mugging, less useful when we feel inadequate in response to an advert full of beautiful people.
It’s natural to find lots of ways to get rid of these feelings, such as kicking yourself to do better or avoid the things that stress you out. It’s so easy to find yourself going round in a circle trying to cope. Your ability to pursue what matters to you, connect with others or soothe yourself quickly escapes out the window.
I’ll help you take back control
I can help you learn how to take back the driver’s seat.
• I will listen to you carefully so that you feel truly understood and can make sense of things.
• We will work together to learn how to care for yourself and calm your systems down.
• We will learn self-acceptance and how to let go of baggage from your past.
• We will spend time working out what matters to you and learn skills for making active choices towards a life about love, satisfaction, and fun.
When you’re willing to give it a go and work at it, you’ll find that you can transform your life in extraordinary ways.
What treatment approaches do I use?
We will work together to tailor your treatment to what you need and want. I interweave CFT (Compassion Focused Therapy) and ACT (Acceptance and Commitment Therapy), along with CBT (Cognitive Behavioural Therapy) and EMDR (trauma treatment). I only use cutting-edge science and gold standard evidence-based therapies according to NICE guidelines, I hold BABCP accreditation, and have specialist supervision.
I want you to feel safe knowing you’re in good hands. If I think you could be better served by something or someone else, I will tell you.
What is my style?
With me, you’ll find someone who genuinely cares about working with you. I respect the courage it takes for you to show up.
Depending on the moment, sometimes you’ll find me gentle, playful, honest and saying it like it is, or encouraging you and celebrating your achievements.
I want you to speak openly with me about how you think things are going, and if there were ever any roadblocks, we’re a team, so I want to work with you on them.
Who I work with:
I specialise in helping adults and children 13+ with:
• Self-criticism and shame,
• Anxiety, depression and stress,
• Complex or longstanding problems, including trauma and those who have had therapy before,
• Pregnant women/early parenthood,
• Therapy for therapists.
I can also offer clinical supervision for practitioners in CFT/ACT/CBT.
Get in touch
Sometimes people hesitate about starting therapy. That’s ok; I understand it can be daunting. I also think that sometimes it’s worse to carry on struggling as you are. It’s a sign of strength when you can face your difficulties.
I invite you to tell me about your concerns, and we can go gently.
How did I become a therapist?
I first started working in this field back in 2007 when I was studying for my Master’s in Psychology at the University of Oxford, as a telephone counsellor. Those I spoke to told me I had a comforting voice, and I should be on the radio or a psychotherapist.
Keen to explore the world after graduating, I first went to London to work in business, and then on to the favelas of South America to work in international development.
It was a formative time in my life, and due to events in my own family, I saw first-hand the impact of psychological distress and just how beneficial psychotherapy can be. I learned what it’s like to look within myself and develop core strength, in the same way, I now teach others. It brought me back ‘home’ to the field of psychology.
After gaining a breadth of experience in community mental health settings and as an academic researcher, I qualified as a CBT Therapist with distinction in 2014. I worked full-time in the NHS, which gave me an incredible professional grounding – before focusing on private practice since 2017.
When I’m not working, you’ll find me outside with my family and our golden retriever, or renovating houses.
Are you ready to build a better life?
Please get in touch today, so that we can get you on your way towards a better life. You can expect a reply within 48 working hours.
I look forward to hearing from you.