About Us

Compassionate Psychology offers one-on-one private consultations in person at our warm and welcoming Stratford-based office or via telehealth if you live outside of Taranaki. We build on your unique strengths and help you meet your potential as a person. We believe you are the expert of your own life and it is our pleasure to walk part of your journey with you.  

We offer a steady, reflective space for people navigating anxiety, depression, stress, relationship concerns, grief, adjustment, and the emotional impact of helping roles. 

We also provide professional supervision for psychologists and other practitioners working in the health sector 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 2014. 

I work with a wide variety of clients from the age of 18 through to the senior years of life. I have extensive experience working with clients who have experienced high levels of suffering in their lives, including depression, anxiety, trauma and loss.  

I have a particular interest in supporting mental health practitioners to prevent burnout. I deeply value the importance of caring for those in our society who provide care for others. 

 My areas of special interest include supporting individuals who are going through significant adjustment following major life changes impacting on their identity. This includes supporting identity and adjustment following an ADHD diagnosis and women navigating life changes associated with perimenopause. I also have an interest in supporting clients who are deconstructing unhelpful beliefs and processing spiritual harm. 

Compassionate Psychology draws primarily on the evidence-based treatment models of Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT) and Compassion Focused Therapy (CFT). The primary focus in sessions is on increasing psychological flexibility and alleviating suffering during difficult life experiences and transitions. 

Much of our psychological suffering can come from a place of 'internal struggle' and ACT works with dropping this struggle and living a life that is consistent with our values and what is important to us. CFT takes this one step further and shifts our thinking from one of self as attacker (self-criticism) to supporting and nurturing ourselves when we hurt (self-compassion). Self compassion is a fiercely brave thing to engage in, when we are faced with the voice of inner judgment and has the potential to create transformational change in the way we see the world and relate to ourselves.

Compassionate Psychology also draws on Viktor Frankl's work, a concentration camp survivor, who based his research on finding meaning in human suffering. To quote Viktor Frankl "Between stimulus and response there is a space .... in that space is our power to choose. In our response lies our growth and freedom"