Dr Sara Hagerman

Welcome

I am a Counselling Psychologist, as well as a registered psychotherapist/counsellor, with many years of experience in the NHS, universities and schools, cancer and mental health charities, youth homelessness and in refugee support.

I believe that therapy allows you to take a more active role in understanding and experiencing your emotions. When we are not aware of our emotions or ideas, it can mean we act out certain behaviours – or experience certain feelings - without knowing why. And while we might be able to tolerate this for some time – perhaps even for a long time - I believe there is a difference between surviving and living.

Developing a closer – or less mysterious - relationship with ourselves can allow us to go beyond living life passively and begin to really experience it.

I find that many of us underestimate the effect that living can have on us. Our upbringings, environment, the pressures of society – these things can all accumulate and make it difficult for us to understand who we are, or be at peace with how we feel.

My therapy is underpinned by the belief that no-one is fundamentally broken. We may all face struggles – some of us profound ones – but we all also have the potential find our way back to a better way of being, and a better relationship with ourselves.

Areas of specialty and special interest:

·      Depression, and how this can be a clue to other areas of need.

·      Interpersonal difficulties, and our patterns in relationships (including psychosexual issues and couples counselling)

·      Sexual abuse and trauma, and its complex effects on people’s lives.

·      Existential concerns, particularly concerning meaning and purpose.

I also work with issues to do with kink/BDSM, and alternative/non-traditional relationship styles (including polyamory and non-monogamy), and I am dedicated to practicing in a non-judgmental and intersectional manner, regardless of ethnicity, culture, disability, gender or sexuality. I am sex work positive and am happy to work with clients who work within this field.

I have a particular interest in working with non-monogamous couples or individuals, psychosexual issues, sub-cultures, as well as with non-binary and bisexual clients.

I am a native Swedish speaker and can thus work with clients in Swedish/Norwegian/Danish if this is your preference.

I am also experienced in working with expat/immigrant clients, and issues concerning cultural differences and nomadic living, as well as exploring and understanding psychedelic experiences.