Sarah Christensen

ACA Registered Therapist

I am a psychotherapist specialising in integrative psychotherapy. I approach each client individually by synthesising a range of models, theories and practices. My intention is to work with you to understand how your unique life experiences impact your relationship with yourself, others and the world. In my practice, I am influenced by attachment theory, development and psychodynamic theories, trauma theory and metacognitive theory. I seek to provide a supportive and non-judgmental space, recognising that the human experience is too complex to be approached without curiosity and openness. I endeavour to work collaboratively with you to explore and draw attention to the underlying processes that guide your behaviours and perceptions—exploring the past whilst interpreting the various manifestations occurring in the present. Through discussing with others the reasons behind our behaviours and perceptions, we can view what may be underlying them. It creates the potential for us to build more accurate representations of the world and ourselves.

If I do not have the specific training for the assistance you require, please reach out, and I may be able to recommend someone who would be good for you.

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Areas I Work With

Some of the experiences that bring people to therapy — select a heading to read more.

Anxious Attachment

Feeling that you cannot trust yourself
Finding it hard to know what you are feeling
Difficulty interpreting your own experiences

Difficulty deciding if your emotional reactions are valid
Chronic self-doubt and overanalysing
Needing to continuously check with other people to confirm you are making the right choices
Self-sacrificing behaviours in relationships
Hyper-reliant on others for validation and reassurance
Monitoring other people's behaviour for signs of rejection or abandonment
When other people are upset there is an immediate assumption that you are the cause
Feeling a pervasive drive to "fix" the relationship

Avoidant Attachment

A compulsion to never rely on or need another person
Preferring to handle stress entirely alone
Relationships feel like an obligation

Sharing information about oneself is followed by stress
An intense need to be perfect and to understand everything fully
Acting flawlessly to prevent being questioned
Dismissive of other peoples views
Preferring to work with objects rather than people
Tend to dislike strong emotional displays from themselves and others

Depression

Chronic feelings of inadequacy or worthlessness
Taking immense responsibility for minor perceived failures
Severe and unrelenting feelings of guilt

Overly accommodating to the needs of others
Profound feelings of loss and loneliness
Unremitting sadness or emotional deadness
A pervasive belief that the future is dangerous and disappointing
Basic chores feel exhausting
Trouble sleeping, poor appetite, fatigue

Anxiety

Feeling fear in response to situations or activities that are rationally perceived as not being dangerous
Feeling trapped in an intricate network of fear and defensive reactions
Continuously thinking about distressing situations, their causes, and their consequences

Your mind jumps to the worst possible outcome in imagined future situations
Feeling that you will not be able to cope with imagined future disasters
Unbearable feelings of helplessness
Finding it hard to make decisions and take action

Perfectionism / Obsessional

A pervasive need for control
A deep need for certainty and predictability
A focus on the future and constant preparation for it

An instinctual sense that time is running out
Feeling immense failure when unable to be perfect in all contexts all the time
A reliance on rational or logical thinking
Often discusses emotional topics in a cold and detached manner
Appearing rigid, restrained, or emotionally flat
A preference for not relying on other people
Intense pressure to do tasks alone
Indecisiveness and the fear of making the wrong choice