Welcome to Sandbanks Psychotherapy
Bespoke personalised therapy services
Our approach
We understand that every situation is unique. Every person is unique. We tailor our therapy to each individual.
Our Areas of Specialisation
1. Managing Depression and Restoring Joy
When the world feels grey and motivation is nowhere to be found, depression can feel like an isolating weight. Dealing with persistent sadness, loss of interest, fatigue, or hopelessness is exhausting, but it is a treatable condition.
We work together to gently lift the weight of depression, exploring the factors contributing to your low mood. Whether they are rooted in life circumstances, thought patterns, or biological factors, our therapy is designed to help you reconnect with your values and rediscover a sense of meaning and joy.
• We Focus On: Identifying and challenging negative thought cycles (Cognitive Restructuring), increasing engaging and enjoyable activities (Behavioural Activation), improving sleep and energy levels, and building a strong support network.
• Targeted Help For: Major Depressive Disorder, Persistent Depressive Disorder (Dysthymia), Postpartum Depression, and navigating feelings of profound loss or hopelessness.
2. Anxiety Management and Overcoming Worry
Feeling overwhelmed by persistent worry or crippling panic? You don't have to live with the constant drain of anxiety.
Anxiety can manifest as excessive worry, difficulty concentrating, physical symptoms like a racing heart, or avoidance of situations that trigger fear. Our goal is to help you understand the root causes of your anxiety and develop practical, lasting skills to manage it.
• We Focus On: Identifying thought patterns (Cognitive Behavioural Therapy), learning relaxation and grounding techniques, and developing strategies to reduce avoidance behaviours.
• Targeted Help For: Generalised Anxiety Disorder (GAD), Social Anxiety, Panic Attacks, and Phobias.
3. Trauma Recovery and Healing from the Past
Traumatic experiences can leave deep imprints that affect your daily life, relationships, and sense of self. Whether you experienced a single traumatic event or ongoing relational trauma, therapy is a critical step toward healing.
We provide a safe, non-judgmental space to process difficult memories and emotions at a pace that feels comfortable for you. We utilise trauma-informed care to help you move from surviving to thriving.
• We Focus On: Processing traumatic memories, reducing hypervigilance and emotional reactivity, and restoring a sense of safety and control.
• Targeted Help For: Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD), complex trauma, childhood trauma, and recovery from emotional or physical abuse.
4. Marriage and Couples Counselling
When communication breaks down and conflict seems constant, the foundation of your relationship can feel shaky and uncertain. Many couples seek help not when love is lost, but when they feel stuck, misunderstood, or disconnected.
We provide a neutral, structured space to explore recurring patterns, heal past hurts, and build new, more effective ways of relating. Our goal is to move you beyond conflict and help you achieve the secure, supportive partnership you both desire.
• We Focus On: Improving listening and empathy, managing conflict constructively, rebuilding trust and emotional intimacy, and navigating major life transitions together (e.g., parenting, career changes).
• Targeted Help For: Persistent conflict and arguments, infidelity and trust breaches, lack of intimacy or connection, pre-marital counselling, and navigating separation or divorce respectfully.
5. Stress and Burnout Prevention
The pressure of modern life, career demands, and family responsibilities can lead to chronic stress and emotional exhaustion, or burnout. When you feel constantly depleted and ineffective, your well-being suffers.
We work with you to identify the specific sources of stress in your life and restructure your routines, boundaries, and internal expectations. Our aim is to help you regain your energy and find a sustainable balance.
• We Focus On: Setting healthy professional and personal boundaries, developing mindful coping strategies, and identifying the link between stress and physical health.
• Targeted Help For: Job-related stress, career transitions, compassion fatigue, and feeling overwhelmed by high-demand roles.
6. Grief and Loss Counselling
Grief is a natural, deeply personal, and often isolating response to loss. Whether you are mourning the death of a loved one, the end of a relationship, the loss of health, or a significant life transition, healing takes time and support.
We provide compassionate guidance to navigate the complex stages of grief. We help you honour your loss, process the associated feelings, and ultimately find a path forward without forgetting what was lost.
• We Focus On: Creating space for difficult emotions, developing healthy rituals for remembering, and coping with the immediate and long-term changes that loss brings.
• Targeted Help For: Bereavement, complicated grief, divorce or relationship endings, and adjusting to significant life changes (e.g., retirement, empty nest).
“Sandbanks Psychotherapy helped me in ways I couldn’t have even imagined. The care, consideration and patience to work through my issues was limitless. I highly recommend them.
— Nick, Sandbanks Psychotherapy client