Sara Elphinstone Psychotherapeutic Counselling ND Specialist

Get in touch: contact@saraelphinstone.com or

about me

I am a psychotherapeutic counsellor and I specialise in working with neurodivergent people – formally diagnosed or self identified.

I work with clients to improve mental health and well being, adapting therapy to recognise neurodivergent needs and experiences. I also provide neurodivergent mentoring and psychoeducation. I work in person in Oxfordshire and online.

I am a late discovered neurodivergent person myself and I am also a parent to neurodivergent children. I bring this lived experience into my practice and I embrace mutual authenticity between myself and my clients. I am autistic and ADHD too, so I understand how it feels from the inside and sharing experiences with you will deepen our therapeutic relationship.

My passion is providing neuroaffirming therapy that can help to reduce shame around differences, cultivate self compassion and build a positive neurodivergent identity that acknowledges strengths as well as challenges.

I have several years of experience working in an autism and ADHD service, working within assessments to provide screening, interviewing, mentoring and supporting hundreds of clients pre and post diagnosis. Within this organisation I set up and ran a successful counselling service. I also delivered training and workshops for young people, parents, employers and organisations on autism, ADHD and PDA.

My counselling experience includes seeing clients in a cancer support charity. Cancer patients, their families and those experiencing bereavement were part of the client group.

I have a 200 hour yoga teacher qualification and a diploma in hypnotherapy. My client sessions can include relaxation, guided meditation and breath work for stress relief, nervous system and emotional regulation.

Before training as a therapist I was a registered adult nurse and worked in an NHS acute medical environment providing emergency assessment care.

my approach

My training is in pluralistic therapy and I work from the idea that different clients need different things at different times. My sessions are flexible and I work collaboratively to tailor therapy to you as an individual.

I am able to draw on a range of therapeutic theory and practice, using tools from humanistic, psychodynamic, cognitive-behavioural, mindfulness and nervous system regulation based approaches.

Working from a neuroaffirming model which embraces neurodivergence, seeking not to fix but to empower radical acceptance and self-compassion.

My sessions are confidential and I meet you from a place of deep curiosity and recognition. I believe your unique experience is valid and offer a non judgemental space to process and make meaning, moving towards greater clarity and peace.

Mentoring sessions are also available for neurodivergent individuals, parents and wider support networks. I use my experience in mentoring sessions to help with things like work on emotional regulation, sensory needs, self advocacy, recognising strengths, or parenting neurodivergent young people, including those with a PDA profile.

adjustments and accommodations

I aim to provide any reasonable adjustments or accommodations you might need and I will endeavour to make any therapy rooms as sensory friendly as possible. I hope you will feel less pressure to mask as moving around during sessions, not making eye contact, fidgeting, using focus equipment or stimming is all perfectly fine.

We can use writing exercises or other creative tools if they are helpful. When attending online sessions you do not need to have your camera on if this is a barrier for you. If there is anything I can do to help you access therapy with the least amount of stress possible please let me know.

I will review sessions with you regularly to hear your thoughts about how therapy is going and how you would like to progress.

qualifications

Professional Diploma in Psychotherapeutic Counselling Practice level 5

Diploma in Counselling Skills and Theory level 4

Safeguarding Level 2

Prince’s Trust Diploma in Hypnotherapy level 3

200 Hour Yoga Teacher Training

Level 5 Diploma of Higher Education (DipHE) in Adult Nursing

I am an accredited registrant member of the National Counselling and Psychotherapy Society (NCPS) and am bound by its ethical framework for good practice. You can read the NCPS Code of Ethics here: https://ncps.com/about-us/code-of-ethics

I hold DBS clearance.

In addition, I am committed to learning and professional development. In order to improve my skills and provide a better service, I engage with continuing professional development (CPD) on a regular basis. Some of the most recent trainings I have undertaken are:

Introduction to Internal Family Systems (IFS)
Unmasking the Neurodivergent Therapist

pricing and availability

I currently see clients in person on Mondays and Wednesdays and have availability for online clients throughout the week via Google Meet.

Sessions are weekly or fortnightly and are 50 minutes long.

Short and long term therapy is available depending on your needs.

locations

The Little Health Hub, West Oxford Community Centre, Botley Road, Oxford OX2 0BT

http://www.thelittlehealthhub.com

Kingsmoor Clinic, East Wing, Old Berkshire Kennels, Oxford Road, Kingston Bagpuize, Abingdon OX13 5AP

http://www.kingsmoorclinic.co.uk

fees

15 minute initial consultation call – Free

Counselling Session £70

Mentoring Session £70

payment and cancellations

Payment is made via cash or card in person, bank transfer or electronic link.

Clients are advised to give at least 48 hours notice if they wish to cancel or reschedule. If less than 48 hours notice is given you will be expected to pay for the appointment in full.

holiday policy

I am fully present and available to support and hold space for my clients when I am working. To do this, I maintain a self-care practice of taking time off from work regularly. In addition to this I will occasionally need to attend further training for professional development.

I aim to take some days off every 8-10 weeks.

I will aim to let my clients know of any time away at least 4 weeks in advance.

feedback

Slide

“

Dearest Sara,
Thank you for your wonderful support through my autism journey and beyond.
In my thirty years of mental health struggles, I have counted two professional mentors that have made a positive, caring impact on my emotional welfare.
You are my third.
You are a wonderful lady, kind, measured and gentle. You have helped me understand more about myself, which has been invaluable to me.

“

Slide

“

I started seeing Sara when I was deep in despair & grief and couldn’t see a way forward.
Sara has taught me the tools to live and move forward with my grief.
Sara also reassured me that what I was feeling was normal and to be expected, with Sara’s help she has held my hand and led me from darkness and into the light.

For that I will always be grateful.

“

Slide

“

I came to counselling with Sara when, due to family illness, I was very anxious and emotionally exhausted. The process taught me that I was feeling guilty about things I had no control over. Talking through the situation helped me enormously and I came away from the sessions with strategies to help me cope with my feelings and get my anxiety better under control, something I use every day. I am very grateful.

“

Slide

“

Sara was instrumental in helping me understand my autism.

“

Slide

“

I’ve had the privilege of working alongside Sara for several years, supporting neurodivergent adults and children through the process of autism and ADHD assessment. As a neuroaffirming counsellor, Sara brings a powerful combination of professional expertise and lived experience to her work. Her approach is grounded, compassionate, and genuinely inclusive, creating a safe and validating space for every individual she supports. Sara embodies all the qualities you’d want in a counsellor: insightful, empathetic, patient, and deeply respectful. I wholeheartedly endorse her and the incredible impact she has in the neurodivergent community.

“

Slide

“

I first met Sara while she was completing her counselling training, during her work as a peer support practitioner. From the very beginning, it was clear that Sara brought something truly special to her practice — a rare combination of professional skill, deep empathy, and genuine authenticity.

There is absolutely no judgement in Sara’s approach. She is one of the kindest, most understanding, and compassionate people I’ve had the privilege of meeting, both professionally and personally. What sets her apart is her ability to connect from a place of lived experience. Sara truly understands, and that understanding allows her to support people in ways that feel both safe and empowering.

Her neuroaffirming approach helps clients not only make sense of themselves but also appreciate who they are — often for the first time. Sara has an incredible gift for helping others feel seen, valued, and capable of growth on their own terms.

I cannot recommend Sara and her practice highly enough for anyone seeking counselling that is grounded in empathy, authenticity, and true understanding.

“

Slide

“

Absolutely brilliant. Each of the speakers were so thorough and provided lots of examples to give life to concepts, or symptoms on slides, so there was a deep understanding for me as an attendee, of what they were talking about. The facilitators answered every question posed by the attendees, and their wisdom and experience in the domain of PDA was evident, and they didn’t offer just quick responses but considered examples, again to demonstrate their response. They were brilliant, I learned so much, and also felt very validated and less ashamed of my own PDA.

“

contact

Contact me for a free 15 minute consultation with the form below, or email me directly.