- Attachment-based methods
- Mindfulness therapy
- Narrative approaches
About Sarah
Sarah O'Sullivan is an AASW social worker with six years of direct practice experience. She draws on long personal experience with chronic mental health challenges and earlier roles as a lived experience worker in Queensland Health. Her work commonly addresses stress, anxiety, addictions, trauma and abuse, parenting and depression, and she names guilt and shame among areas of focus.
Sarah writes from experience and practical work in both government and non-government services. That background shapes how she helps people navigate systems, referrals and supports. She also offers advocacy work for people who need help managing complex service pathways.
She provides a range of written supports beyond conversations. This includes complex report writing for court or NDIS, domestic violence perpetrator mapping using the Safe and Together model, and functional capacity assessments using the Allen's model of cognitive function. These services are described as additional to her counselling work.
In sessions Sarah uses attachment-based, client-centred and narrative ideas alongside mindfulness and motivational interviewing. She aims to help people talk through what feels stuck, understand patterns that keep repeating, and plan small, practical steps for change.
Sarah has an interest in parenting and parental capacity building, chronic and complex mental health, addictions and relapse prevention planning, and recovery coaching. She works in Australia and runs her practice in English. To start she asks people to complete a short matching questionnaire and schedule an initial session.
Background and approach: Her combination of lived experience and service-side knowledge informs a straightforward way of working. Conversations often include mapping supports, clarifying goals, and writing reports when those are needed. Sessions tend to be practical and focused on what clients need next, whether that is managing symptoms, organising supports, or planning recovery steps.
How her approaches translate to online work
Attachment-based work looks at patterns in close relationships and helps people notice how past bonds influence present reactions; online sessions can be used to reflect on these patterns and practise new responses. Client-centred therapy focuses on listening and following the person’s lead, offering space to talk through painful feelings and decide what matters most. Mindfulness therapy brings simple attention practices and grounding skills that can be used between sessions to manage intense feelings. Finding the right approach is part of the work. The therapist will discuss goals, preferences and needs and then choose or combine methods with the client. This is a collaborative process aimed at matching practical steps and conversation styles to what the person wants to address. The biography does not specify session formats, so confirm current options before booking. Online work can help fit sessions into everyday life by reducing travel time, allowing shorter check-ins when schedules are tight, or letting people attend without needing to leave work during a break. It also makes it possible to continue contact when someone has moved residence or cannot easily reach a clinic. Practitioners who use these approaches often adapt exercises and report-writing to suit remote appointments and ongoing recovery planning.Areas of expertise
Primary focus
Additional focus areas
Therapeutic approaches
Experience
6+ years
Listed in
Australia
Languages
English
Frequently asked questions
What concerns does she commonly help with?
She works with stress, anxiety, addictions, trauma and abuse, parenting and depression, and also lists guilt and shame among focus areas.
How would she approach feelings of shame or guilt?
She uses attachment-based, client-centred and narrative approaches combined with mindfulness and motivational interviewing to help people talk through those feelings and identify practical next steps.
What is her professional background?
She began as a lived experience worker with Queensland Health and has worked across government and non-government agencies, bringing both personal and service-side experience.
Which credential does she hold and where is she based?
She is an AASW social worker practising in Australia.
Can I book sessions in languages other than English?
Sessions are offered in English only.
What session formats does she offer?
Please confirm current session options before booking, as the biography does not list specific session formats.
How are costs handled?
Cost varies with location and sessions use a subscription model that can be cancelled at any time.
How do I begin working with her?
Start by selecting the See online therapy options button, complete a short matching questionnaire, and schedule a first session.
Online talk therapy is not emergency care. If you are in danger or thinking about harming yourself, use the crisis numbers.