Counsellor
Sarah-Jane Warner
MBACP 01022367
She/her
“I believe there’s hope even when life feels difficult or confusing. Taking time to make sense of our experiences can help us reconnect with what matters most to us.”
WHO I help
So used to putting others first, you’ve forgotten what you want.
Saying yes when they want to say no. Second-guessing a decision because someone else might be disappointed. Sarah-Jane works with adults who have spent so long considering everyone else that they struggle to recognise their own needs, or know what they would choose for themselves.
From the outside, they may look like they’re coping. Work gets done, family life keeps moving, and they’re still there for other people. Underneath, they feel anxious, exhausted or unsure of themselves. Some are carrying grief that others no longer ask about. Others feel lost after a relationship difficulty or life change, trying to work out who they are now.
They often arrive feeling that something needs to change, without knowing where to begin. They might want to understand why they avoid conflict, why their confidence has slipped, or why meeting everyone’s expectations still leaves them feeling not good enough. They don’t need a neatly defined problem to start.
“I often work with people who’ve become so focused on coping and meeting other people’s needs that their own feelings get pushed aside.”
how i work
Room to talk, fidget, draw, or take your time.
Sarah-Jane is warm, down-to-earth and comfortable with whatever a session brings. Clients can laugh, cry, sit quietly or get their hands into the sand. There’s no expectation to sit perfectly still or find exactly the right words. The first part of the work is getting to know one another and building enough trust to talk about what matters.
Her counselling is person-centred: the client’s experience sets the direction and pace. She may draw on CBT to explore the thinking behind repeated self-doubt, or a psychodynamic perspective to understand how earlier relationships still shape the present. When talking feels difficult, an image, a piece of music, drawing or writing can offer another way into a feeling. Nobody needs to be artistic.
Over time, the work can help clients recognise their needs, understand familiar patterns and make decisions with their own wishes in mind. Sarah-Jane also offers coaching for people who want to explore possibilities and take practical steps with support and accountability. If someone is unsure which would suit them, she can talk that through with them.
“There’s something powerful about people starting to find themselves for the first time in a long time — or for the first time ever.”
It's nice to meet you!
Rom-coms to crime thrillers. DIY rescued with tea and cake.
Sarah-Jane’s own experiences of loss, counselling and coaching helped bring her to this work. Outside it, she might be walking by the Devon coast with a coffee, singing, or switching from a cheesy rom-com to a crime thriller. DIY tends to end with paint in her hair, several unfinished jobs, and friends or family recruited with the promise of tea and cake.
Specialisms
Anxiety
Depression
Grief & loss
Stress & burnout
Low self-worth
Identity
Life transitions
Neurodivergence
Anger
Parenting
Work & career
Perimenopause
Spiritual Wellbeing
Session information
£50–£65 per session. Reduced rates / concessions available. Contact Sarah-Jane for details.
Both in-person and online
www.sjwarner.com
sarah-jane@sjwarner.com
