About Us

Compassionate Psychology offers one-on-one consultations, either in person at our warm and welcoming Stratford-based office or through telehealth for clients located outside of Taranaki. We focus on building your unique strengths and helping you reach your full potential as a person. We believe you are the expert of your own life, and it brings us joy to accompany you on this part of your journey.  

We provide a steady, reflective space for individuals navigating anxiety, depression, stress, relationship concerns, grief, adjustment, and the emotional challenges that come from helping roles. Our approach includes evidence-based therapies, such as Acceptance and Commitment Therapy and Compassion Focused Therapy, to better support your needs.  

Additionally, we offer professional supervision for psychologists and other practitioners in the health sector who are seeking supportive, reflective practice.

Kia ora, my name is Sarah and I am a registered psychologist based in Stratford, Taranaki. I qualified as an Educational Psychologist in 2014 and have been working in private practice serving the rural community of Taranaki since then. My approach incorporates evidence-based therapy, including Acceptance and Commitment Therapy and Compassion Focused Therapy, to best support my clients. 

I work with a diverse range of clients aged 18 and beyond, assisting those who have experienced high levels of suffering in their lives, such as depression, anxiety, trauma, and loss. 

I have a particular interest in supporting mental health practitioners to prevent burnout, recognizing the importance of caring for those who provide care for others. In my one-on-one consultations, I focus on fostering resilience and well-being. 

My areas of special interest include helping individuals adjust to significant life changes impacting on their identity. This encompasses support for those navigating an ADHD diagnosis and women dealing with transitions related to perimenopause. Additionally, I assist clients who are deconstructing unhelpful beliefs and processing spiritual harm, offering a gentle and safe space to reconstruct healthy spirituality.

Compassionate Psychology primarily utilizes evidence-based therapy models, including Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT) and Compassion Focused Therapy (CFT). In our one-on-one consultations, the main emphasis is on enhancing psychological flexibility and alleviating suffering during challenging life experiences and transitions.

Much of our psychological suffering stems from 'internal struggle,' and ACT helps clients release this struggle to lead a life aligned with their core values and what matters to them. CFT advances this idea by transforming our mindset from one where we are self-critical to one where we support and nurture ourselves through difficult times, fostering self-compassion. Engaging in self-compassion is a courageous act, especially when confronted with inner judgment, and can lead to profound changes in how we perceive the world and our relationship with ourselves.

Compassionate Psychology also draws inspiration from Viktor Frankl's work, a concentration camp survivor who explored finding meaning in human suffering. As Viktor Frankl wisely noted, "Between stimulus and response, there is a space... in that space is our power to choose. In our response lies our growth and freedom."