Sarah Mac Farlane, BACP

Sarah Mac Farlane welcomes people who are feeling overwhelmed by stress, anxiety, low mood or life changes. She writes plainly and listens closely so people can make sense of difficult feelings and take workable steps forward.

Sarah is a BACP counsellor with nine years of experience working in the United Kingdom. She draws on several therapy styles and matches methods to each person's needs rather than using one fixed approach. Sessions are collaborative and focused on practical change as well as understanding what feels hard.

In practice she helps people manage anxiety, depression, trauma and the fallout from abuse. She also supports people dealing with grief, body image, eating concerns, anger and compassion fatigue. Sarah works with issues linked to identity and relationships, including LGBT concerns and communication problems.

Her wider focus covers parenting challenges, ADHD, chronic illness and caregiver stress, ageing and bereavement, and attachment-related difficulties. She uses approaches such as acceptance work, cognitive techniques and emotion-focused ideas to reduce distress and build coping skills.

Sessions tend to be straightforward and goal oriented. People can expect to talk through what matters now, try out small changes between meetings, and review what helps. Sarah aims to make therapy a practical step toward feeling steadier and more in control.

Approaches suited to online working and everyday life

Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT) helps people notice painful thoughts and feelings while committing to actions that matter to them. It is often useful for anxiety, low mood and coping with life transitions. Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) looks at how thoughts, feelings and behaviours connect and uses practical exercises to reduce symptoms and build new routines. It is commonly used for anxiety, depression and intrusive thoughts. Attachment-Based Therapy focuses on patterns in close relationships and how early experiences shape current responses; it can help with trust, communication and attachment difficulties.

Finding the right approach is part of the process and Sarah works collaboratively to decide what fits best. She will discuss goals, try methods in session, and adjust the plan as needs and preferences become clearer. Therapy is a shared process where practical tools and understanding are blended to suit each person.

Online formats include video calls, phone sessions, live chat and text-based messaging, offering flexibility to fit work, family and daily life. Video calls allow face-to-face conversation and visual cues, phone sessions need less bandwidth and can be easier for quick check-ins, while chat and messaging suit shorter reflections or people who prefer typing. These options make it easier to maintain continuity of care and schedule sessions around busy routines.