Sara Gomez

I work during term time only and am available for sessions on Thursdays and Fridays. Counselling sessions will take place outdoors in all seasons and weathers, except in high winds or storms.

I am a qualified Integrative Child and Adolescent Counsellor based in South London.

My training began with an MA(Ed) in Guidance and Counselling Skills from Brunel University (2000) which focussed on a Person-Centred approach. I have a Post Graduate Diploma in Systemic Practice from the Institute of Family Therapy (2007). I completed my Diploma in Child Counselling training (2018) at the Institute for Arts in Therapy and Education (IATE) where the therapeutic application of all the Arts are central to the work. I recently completed the certificate in Nature Allied Psychotherapy, with the Nature Therapy School (2024).

I have thirty years’ experience of working with children, young people and their families in a variety of settings including education, social care and residential settings.

I have been providing general counselling in mainstream school settings for a variety of issues including bereavement, neurodiversity, parental separation, domestic violence, anxiety, low mood and school refusal. I am now also offering Nature Allied Counselling sessions in a park setting.

There is a growing body of research which evidences that exposure and connection with Nature can have tangible benefits for all, and particularly in a variety of wellbeing outcomes in adolescence including self esteem & confidence, stress reduction, social benefits and resilience. Nature Allied Counselling is also an alternative to traditional room-based therapy spaces which can be intimidating for some; being alongside your counsellor, not having to make eye-contact, having the freedom and space to move and cover ground, and welcoming the wisdom that Nature offers us can contribute to an environment that is rich with therapeutic potential.

I strongly believe that the forming of a relationship with Nature can be a lifelong companion and source of limitless support. The opportunity to reveal this freely available and accessible resource will be an intrinsic part of my work.

Underpinning my counselling practice is a belief that the foundation of any type of emotional support comes from the quality of the relationship between myself and the children/young people that I work with. With that in mind, what is important to me is to be directed by the child/young person and to promote connection between us by me offering curiosity, warmth, consistency, authenticity, and an ability to acknowledge mistakes with a commitment to repair.

I offer an initial free 20 min consultation to discuss needs and determine if I could be a good match for your child or young person.

Sessions take place on a weekly basis, 50 mins duration, with calendar breaks that generally follow school holidays. 

The first step is a 60 minute online parent/guardian consultation to gain an overview of the current challenges and relevant historical information.

A first session with a child or young person will involve us meeting outside and discussing our contract, which clarifies confidentiality and its limits and the structure and boundaries of sessions. The initial session will also provide an opportunity to start gaining our bearings in the park; the following few sessions can involve getting to know the space and each other, at a pace that feels comfortable.