Counsellor profile
Sarah O'Sullivan, AASW
AASW social worker - Parenting and complex mental health
Continue with SarahAbout
- Parenting support
- Addictions and relapse planning
- Advocacy and report writing
About Sarah
Sarah O'Sullivan is an AASW social worker with six years of clinical experience based in Australia. She focuses on stress, anxiety, addictions, trauma and abuse, parenting and depression. Sarah draws on her own lived experience of chronic mental ill health and long work in public health to inform how she supports people who are navigating complex systems.
She began her career as a lived experience worker within Queensland Health more than 15 years ago and has worked across government and non-government services. That background shapes her practical approach to the systems people often meet when seeking help. She also offers advocacy support and can assist with complex report writing for court or NDIS matters.
Sarah uses a mix of approaches in sessions. She draws on attachment-based ideas to look at relational patterns. She uses client-centred listening to help people feel heard and to set goals that matter to them. Mindfulness skills and motivational interviewing are part of her toolbox for substance use, relapse prevention and steadying strong emotions.
Her areas of interest include parenting and parental capacity building, chronic and complex mental health, addictions, relapse prevention planning and recovery coaching. She also offers domestic violence perpetrator mapping using the Safe and Together model and functional capacity assessments that use Allen's model of cognitive function.
People who choose Sarah are often looking for someone who understands the complexity of mental health systems and can combine practical advocacy with talking therapy. She aims to help adults clarify goals, plan next steps and manage day-to-day pressures at home.
How sessions work
How her approaches translate to online work
Sarah often uses attachment-based ideas online to map relationship patterns and explore how past connections affect current behaviour. This approach can help people who are dealing with family problems, abandonment or attachment issues to name repeating patterns and try different ways of relating.She also draws on client-centred therapy, which focuses on active listening and building goals the person chooses. That method is useful for parents and adults who need straightforward conversations and clear next steps rather than technical instructions.
Mindfulness therapy features practical exercises for grounding and emotion regulation. Online sessions can include guided breathing, brief mindfulness practices and discussion of how to use those skills day to day, which many people find helpful for anxiety and stress.
Finding the right approach is part of the work. Sarah will talk with each person about what they want to achieve and try methods that suit their needs and preferences. Decisions about focus and pace are made together rather than imposed.
The original biography does not list specific online formats, so confirm current session options before booking. Online work can make it easier to fit therapy into a busy week, reduce travel time and allow shorter check-ins when needed, but check the available session types and scheduling details when you arrange the first appointment.
Areas of focus
Areas of expertise
Primary focus
Additional focus areas
Therapeutic approaches
Experience
6+ years
Listed in
Australia
Languages
English
Questions
Frequently asked questions
What issues does she help with?
She works with stress, anxiety, addictions, trauma and abuse, parenting and depression, plus related family and attachment concerns.
What is her therapeutic style?
She uses attachment-based ideas, client-centred listening, mindfulness and motivational interviewing to help people set practical goals and manage emotions.
How much experience does she have?
She has six years of clinical experience and more than 15 years working as a lived experience worker in Queensland Health and other services.
What credentials and location apply?
She is listed as AASW and practises in Australia.
Can I see her if I live outside Australia?
International clients are not currently accepted; sessions are offered in English for people in Australia.
What session formats are available?
The original biography does not list specific session formats; please confirm current session options before booking.
How are costs handled?
Cost varies with location and sessions use a subscription that can be cancelled at any time.
How do I begin working with her?
Use the See online therapy options button, complete a short matching questionnaire, and schedule a first session.
Details come from information the counsellor supplied to BetterHelp. A registration can be checked with the body that issued it.
Online talk therapy is not emergency care. If anyone is in danger, use the crisis numbers.