Sarah Petrou
Psychological Counsellor & Social worker
Experienced Social Worker and Psychological Counsellor working within the international community. Available online and in English.
I specialise in:
About me
I completed a Bachelor of Psychological Science and a Master of Social Work in Australia. I’ve worked across tertiary mental health services, universities, schools and private practice, supporting people through a wide range of psychological and emotional challenges. Alongside counselling, I also facilitate mental health and wellbeing workshops.
Over the past 10+ years, I’ve had the privilege of working with people from diverse backgrounds and at different stages of life. I am warm, curious and genuinely interested in knowing my clients outside of their troubles.
My professional experience has been complemented by my own personal journey. As an international person myself, I understand that navigating life away from what is familiar brings a myriad of challenges and sometimes we end up feeling a bit stuck.
I’ve experienced my own periods of uncertainty, anxiety, transition and personal growth, and these experiences have given me a genuine appreciation for how difficult it can be to navigate change while trying to find your place and figure out who you are becoming. I don’t see this as giving me all the answers but it does help me to meet my clients with true empathy, curiosity and an understanding of how difficult life can be at times,
I speak:
Location:
Media Gallery
Approach
Perhaps you’re struggling with stress, anxiety or panic, feeling low or burnt out, navigating a major life transition, questioning your identity or sense of belonging, or finding yourself caught between different cultures, relationships and expectations. You may be functioning well on the outside while internally feeling overwhelmed, disconnected or unsure of what comes next.
I work with many people who are balancing multiple cultural worlds and the expectations that can come with them. This can include culture shock, questions around identity and belonging, family or relationship difficulties, and the challenge of figuring out who you are and what you want while navigating change.
I also support clients experiencing depression and low mood, emotional regulation difficulties, relationship challenges as well as more complex experiences including self-harm and suicidal thoughts.
My approach is warm, collaborative and client-centred. I believe therapy should be a space where you can feel genuinely heard and understood, without judgement, but that the space also does not get you to where you want to be without being gently challenged.
Together, we will explore the patterns and beliefs and that may no longer be serving you and we will work to develop a deeper understanding of yourself, and create space for greater clarity and meaningful change. I don’t believe there is a single approach that works for everyone, so I draw from a range of evidence-based therapies and frameworks and tailor our work to your individual needs.
To connect, you don’t need to already have it all figured out and exactly what you want to get from support, often times it’s messy and confusing and that’s normal. Most times, the hardest part is simply deciding to reach out so if you’re unsure whether therapy could help, or whether I might be the right counsellor for you, please feel welcome to get in touch. We can start with a conversation about what you’re looking for and take it from there.
Experience
2024 - Current - CBT Course Facilitator at International School Counsellor Association (ISCA)
2023- Current - Counsellor for Rise Scholarship Winners at The University of Oxford, England
2022 - Current - Freelance counsellor at ESMT University, Berlin
2022 - Current - Freelance counsellor at Bard College, Berlin
2022 - Current - Freelance counsellor at Linden Global Learning Services, Berlin
2021 - Mental Health Clinician at Queens College, The University of Melbourne, Australia
2019 - Mental Health Clinician, Headspace National Youth Mental Health Foundation, Melbourne
2018 - Family Mental Health Clinician, Breakthrough, Melbourne
2017 - Program Development and Administration, Paediatric Mental Health Training Unit, Adelaide
2015 - Social worker and Family and Relationship Counsellor (university placement), United Communities, Australia
2014 - Social Worker (university placement) at Golden Grove Primary School, Australia
Education
2017 MA Social Work from the University of South Australia
2015 BA Psychological Science at the University of Adelaide
Services
Intro Call
Individual Session
Insurances
