Sarah Bennett, NCPS

Sarah Bennett began her counselling journey in Sydney in 2009, where she trained as a telephone counsellor for Lifeline, a national charity. After returning to England she completed a Postgraduate Diploma in Counselling and a University Certificate in Counselling at South Cheshire College, with validation from Manchester Metropolitan University. She is an Accredited Member of the National Counselling Society (NCPS), a credential that reflects registration with a recognised professional body and adherence to its ethical framework.

Her early placement work at Reaseheath College involved supporting young people with a variety of concerns, and she later served as a school counsellor at Brine Leas High School, helping students manage coursework stress, bullying, peer difficulties and family challenges. Sarah has also worked and volunteered with The Dove Service bereavement charity in Stoke-on-Trent, providing support to those affected by loss and life-changing illness.

Today she works from a private practice in Nantwich, seeing adults and teenagers who have either self-referred or been signposted by their GP. Her practice is underpinned by Person-Centred training, and she has a particular interest in anxiety management, teaching practical techniques to help clients cope. When appropriate she integrates Cognitive Behavioural Therapy, relaxation and breathing methods, mindfulness and meditation, and hypnotherapy into her sessions. She holds a Postgraduate Certificate in Integrating Hypnotherapy with Psychotherapy - Level 7 from the Manchester Institute of Psychotherapy under Dr Jonathan Lloyd.

Sarah approaches therapy collaboratively, offering strategies as suggestions to try rather than rigid tasks to complete between appointments. She provides face-to-face appointments and also offers booked telephone and video call sessions. Outside of work she enjoys time with family and friends, and shares her life with two grown children and a 12 year old dog named Leo. Sarah believes in the client’s capacity to find their own answers and inner peace as an outcome of the therapeutic process.

Therapeutic Approaches for Online Support

Sarah works from a person-centred foundation, which focuses on listening closely, offering empathy and creating a supportive space where clients can explore their own goals and solutions. This approach helps people who need a reflective, non-prescriptive environment to process feelings and make decisions.

Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) is used where practical problem solving and skill building are helpful. CBT explores connections between thoughts, feelings and behaviors, and offers tools for managing anxiety, low mood and unhelpful thinking patterns.

Sarah also offers hypnotherapy that is integrated with psychotherapy. This approach uses guided relaxation and focused attention to support change for issues like anxiety, stress and some habit-related concerns, and it is used as an adjunct when appropriate and agreed with the client.

Choosing the right approach is a collaborative process. Sarah will work with each person to assess their needs, goals and preferences, and together they will decide which methods to try and how to adapt them to fit the client’s life.

Online therapy through video calls, phone sessions, live chat or text-based messaging offers flexibility and accessibility, making it easier to attend sessions from home or work and to fit therapy into a busy schedule. These options allow licensed professionals and therapists to provide consistent support while accommodating differing needs and routines.