Sarah Levings
Psychologist
(online appointments only)
Sarah is a fully registered psychologist with the Australian Health Practitioners Regulatory Agency (AHPRA) and is a member of the Australian Psychological Society (APS).
Experience & Areas of Expertise
Sarah has extensive experience working in both private practice and community mental health settings. Sarah has also worked as a trauma counsellor, supervisor, trainer and manager of a counselling program providing trauma counselling to people from refugee backgrounds. She has worked with adults, parents, couples, youth, children and families, from diverse cultures and backgrounds living with a wide range of psychological distress and difficulties.
Sarah currently works with adult clients. She provides treatment for a wide range of presenting issues, including (but not limited to) depression, anxiety and panic attacks, obsessive-compulsive problems (including OCD), disordered eating, trauma (including PTSD), stress management, traumatic experiences (including PTSD), psychosis, personality-based concerns, relationship problems, autism spectrum disorders (including Aspergers), attention difficulties, grief and loss, and difficulties with life transitions.
Sarah is particularly passionate about working with individuals wishing to address:
-
All types of anxiety (general, social, panic, obsessive-compulsive)
-
Depression
-
Low self-esteem
-
Relationship and communication difficulties
-
Autism Spectrum Disorders (ASD)
-
Traumatic experiences (including PTSD)
-
Parenting challenges.
Therapeutic Approach
Sarah is warm, curious and calming in her approach. She strives to build a trusting therapeutic alliance with her clients, in order to help them foster self-awareness, understanding and personal growth. She has an empathic, proactive and flexible approach, drawing on a range of evidence-based therapies to address people’s unique experiences, needs and goals. Sarah is passionate about collaborating with individuals to help them process difficult experiences, to upskill and gain insight into their strengths and difficulties, so that they may be empowered to make changes to improve their wellbeing.
Sarah believes that with an effectual therapeutic relationship any person can benefit from seeing a psychologist. Using a strengths-based approach, Sarah works to help people explore and increase their understanding of past experiences and relationships and to discover unhelpful behaviours, thoughts and beliefs that maintain their difficulties. An additional focus of therapy will be learning more helpful coping strategies, so the person can respond to difficult experiences and emotions more effectively, thereby enhancing their wellbeing. Throughout the therapeutic journey Sarah aims to guide people toward a more meaningful and authentic life path.
Sarah draws on a range of evidenced-based approaches when tailoring treatment to individual needs. Some of these approaches include Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT), Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT), Emotion-Focused Therapy (EFT), Schema Therapy, Mindfulness, Motivational Interviewing, Solution-Focused Therapy (SFT), Trauma Focused CBT (TF-CBT), Dialectical Behaviour Therapy (DBT), Smart Therapy, Narrative Therapy and Narrative Exposure Therapy (NET). Sarah has also completed accredited trainings in evidence-based approaches to parenting, including Circle of Security and Tuning Into Kids.
Sarah is committed to continuing to refine her clinical skills through ongoing professional development, research and regular supervision. Sarah is motivated to ensure her clients are provided with a therapeutic experience that enhances opportunities to reach their treatment goals.
Rebates
Medicare rebates may be available with a referral and Mental Health Treatment Plan issued by a GP. Private health rebates may also be available depending on your health insurance policy.