Counsellor profile
Sarah Leonard, BACP
Counsellor - stress and anxiety
See online counselling options- Person-centred
- CBT methods
- DBT skills
About Sarah
Counsellor and BACP member with 18 years of experience, Sarah Leonard helps people in the United Kingdom work through stress, anxiety, depression and life changes. She also supports people facing issues such as ADHD, addictions, relationship worries, eating concerns and work-related strain.
Sarah uses an integrative way of working that brings together person-centred ideas, cognitive and behavioural methods, and skills from dialectical behaviour therapy. Sessions focus on practical steps and on understanding patterns that keep problems going. She explains techniques and helps people try them between meetings.
Her experience includes supporting LGBT clients and people living with mood or personality difficulties. She also offers help around family problems, first responder issues, gender dysphoria, and obsessive or compulsive behaviours. She names both common life stresses and more complex concerns she has worked with over the years.
In sessions she listens to what someone wants to change and what feels most difficult right now. Conversations often include exploring coping strategies, building emotional skills, and checking how well different approaches are working. She draws on motivational interviewing when people want support with making behaviour changes, such as reducing substance use.
People are invited to set practical goals and to review progress at regular points. The emphasis is on clear, straightforward talking and on methods that can be used in daily life. To arrange a first meeting, follow the directory steps to match and book a session.
How her approaches work for online counselling
Client-centred therapy puts the person's own views and goals at the heart of the work. The counsellor listens without directing and helps the person make sense of their experiences and choices. This approach is useful when someone wants to explore feelings and decide what matters to them. Cognitive behavioural therapy (CBT) looks at thinking patterns and behaviours that keep problems going. It uses practical exercises and small experiments to test new ways of thinking and acting. CBT is often used for anxiety, low mood and problems with unhelpful habits. Dialectical behaviour therapy (DBT) offers skills for managing intense emotions and improving how someone copes with stress. It includes techniques for tolerating distress and for improving interpersonal effectiveness. Deciding which approach to use is part of the first sessions. The counsellor will work with the person to agree goals and try methods that fit their needs and preferences. This is a collaborative process and can change as work proceeds. Please confirm the available session formats before booking, as formats are not specified here. Online work can be easier to fit around daily life, and it can allow for shorter check-ins or sessions that avoid travel. Registered or accredited professionals can offer online appointments to make counselling more practical for busy schedules.Areas of expertise
Also works with
Additional focus areas
Therapeutic approaches
Experience
18+ years
Listed in
United Kingdom
Languages
English
Frequently asked questions
What concerns does she help with most often?
She commonly helps with stress, anxiety, depression and coping with life changes. She also works with ADHD, addictions, relationship and eating concerns.
What is her therapeutic style?
She works integratively, using person-centred practice alongside CBT and DBT skills. Sessions often mix discussion, practical techniques and psychoeducation.
How much experience does she have?
She has 18 years of professional experience working with a range of mental health and life issues.
Which professional body is she a member of and where is she based?
She is a member of the British Association for Counselling and Psychotherapy (BACP) and works in the United Kingdom.
In which languages are sessions offered?
Sessions are offered in English.
Can international clients arrange sessions?
She does not accept international clients at this time.
How are costs handled?
Fees vary with location and sessions use a subscription model that can be cancelled at any time.
What are the steps to begin with her?
Use the See online counselling options button, complete the short matching questionnaire, and then schedule a first session.
Details come from information the counsellor supplied to BetterHelp. A membership or registration can be checked on the professional body's own register.
Online counselling is not emergency care. In an emergency call 999, or see the help numbers.