- Stress and anxiety
- Addictions support
- Parenting help
About Sarah
Sarah O'Sullivan is an AASW social worker with six years in direct therapeutic practice and a much longer history working in Queensland Health as a lived experience worker. She draws on her own experience with chronic mental illness to shape how she listens and responds. Her approach is grounded in practical support and respect for each person’s unique recovery path.
Sarah aims to make sessions straightforward and useful. She focuses on reducing stress and anxiety, helping people manage addictions, and supporting those coping with trauma and depression. Parenting concerns and family problems are also part of her regular work. She offers advocacy, report writing for court or NDIS, and domestic violence informed mapping when needed.
In session she tends to use attachment-based, client-centred and mindfulness approaches alongside motivational interviewing and narrative therapy. This mix helps people talk through difficult feelings, spot patterns, and try new ways of coping. She also offers relapse prevention planning and recovery coaching for substance concerns.
Sarah has experience with complex mental health presentations, caregiver stress, and issues around adoption and foster care. She can complete functional capacity assessments using Allen's model of cognitive function when required. Her practical background in both government and non-government services informs this work.
People who come to Sarah can expect a collaborative, down-to-earth style. She seeks to understand each person’s story before suggesting steps forward. The focus is on manageable changes that fit into everyday life.
How her approaches translate to online work
Attachment-based work focuses on how relationships shape feelings and behaviour. In practice this means talking about patterns learned in close relationships and trying new ways of relating to reduce anxiety and shame. Client-centred therapy places the person’s own goals at the centre and uses listening and reflection to help people feel heard and make choices that suit them. Mindfulness therapy teaches simple attention and grounding skills that help with overwhelming emotions and relapse prevention.Finding the right approach is part of the process. The therapist will talk with each person about what feels most useful and try different techniques together. Decisions about methods and focus are made collaboratively, based on needs, goals and preferences.
The original biography does not list specific online session formats, so please confirm current options before booking. Online work can make it easier to fit therapy into a busy schedule, allow shorter check-ins when needed, and reduce travel time. It also lets people use mindfulness exercises and narrative tasks in their everyday environment, so new skills are practised between sessions.
Areas of focus
Frequently asked questions
What kinds of concerns can be addressed in sessions?
Sarah works with stress, anxiety, addictions, trauma and abuse, parenting strain and depression. She also supports people facing family problems, caregiver stress, and issues linked to adoption or foster care.
How would you describe her therapeutic style?
Her style is collaborative and straightforward, mixing attachment-based, client-centred and mindfulness approaches with motivational interviewing and narrative therapy. Sessions focus on understanding what’s going on and trying practical steps that suit each person.
What is her professional background?
Sarah began as a lived experience worker in Queensland Health and has worked across government and non-government agencies. That background shapes her approach to advocacy and complex case work.
What credentials and location are listed?
She is listed with the AASW and works in Australia. The profile uses AASW as the credential shown.
Which languages are supported and can international clients book?
Sessions are offered in English. International clients are not currently accepted.
What session formats are available?
The original biography does not specify session formats. Please confirm current session options with the service before booking.
How are fees and payment handled?
Cost varies with location and therapist availability and sessions use a subscription model that can be cancelled at any time.
What are the first steps to begin therapy?
Use the Start Therapy button, complete the short matching questionnaire, and then schedule a session according to therapist availability.