Sarah Briggs brings her experience of working therapeutically with survivors of sexual abuse and rape, along with a wealth of knowledge regarding trauma therapy for military veterans and first responders.
Sarah has provided therapy for veterans funded by Walking With The Wounded and Help 4 Heroes. She has also given clinical assessment support for The Dare To Live Trust’s equine-facilitated programmes for veterans. Her clients have comprised serving members of the armed forces or emergency first-responders or statutory services. Sarah has undertaken therapy programmes either privately-funded or through Employee Assistance Programmes including private health insurance schemes for employees of the Metropolitan Police Service, Wiltshire Fire Service, Wiltshire Police, Gloucestershire Police, Wiltshire Council.
As part of The Grove’s team, Sarah co-wrote a successful proposal funded by the building’s insurer, for a psychological trauma therapy service to support a group of those who were affected by the Grenfell Tower fire in 2017. Sarah was one of the project directors who set up a multi-lingual, multi-disciplinary, multi-site trauma therapy service (which is still in operation).
Sarah is a director of The Grove Practice, where she has held a management role for over 10 years. She is a supervisor accredited by BACP and by COSRT. As an accredited psychotherapist, psychosexual & relationship therapist, drug & alcohol counsellor, Sarah has a wealth of experience working with adult clients, either as individuals or couples – where traumatic experiences often have a bearing on current client presentations. Working in a trauma-informed way, she brings an engaging and relational approach to her client work.
Trauma is a significant area of her practice. Sarah has worked with many survivors of childhood sexual abuse and rape, supporting them in making sense of what has happened and encouraging them to process what has happened so that they can reconstruct more confidence and purpose in life.
Sarah’s professional trauma credentials include:
She has undertaken CPD training with internationally-acclaimed teachers in the world of psycho-traumatology:
She has trained in EFT (Emotional Freedom Technique) and Matrix Reimprinting for trauma memory reprocessing and rescripting. In line with best practice guidelines for psycho-traumatology, Sarah has trained in a range of approaches to treating trauma, including the evidence-based protocol of CPT (Cognitive Processing Therapy) which falls under the NICE guidelines for Trauma-Focused CBT (Cognitive Behavioural Therapy). Other protocols include EMDR (Levels 1 and 2), as well as BEPP (Brief Eclectic Psychotherapy for PTSD). She has received training in assessing and diagnostics for trauma, PTSD, and Complex PTSD. Importantly for symptomatic relief as a first stage in trauma treatment, Sarah is trained in a range of approaches for emotional regulation and stabilisation of symptoms such as flashbacks or panic attacks, including STAIR (Skills Training in Affect and Interpersonal Regulation).
Equine-facilitated therapy is a gentle yet profound way in which Sarah supports trauma clients, many of whom have survived unwanted sexual experiences. The horses usually guide clients in setting healthier boundaries and building trust through safe touch. Sarah is certified in equine therapy by IFEEL and LEAP.
Sarah is a former faculty member for IFEEL, teaching on an Ofqual-regulated Level 6 practitioner training in equine-facilitated psycho-traumatology.
Sarah also teaches on The Grove’s supervision course, given her experience in supervising therapists through each stage of their professional development: as trainees, then qualified therapists, plus supporting supervisees towards BACP accreditation or UKCP registration. Her clinical management role at the practice also involves the practical application of ethical principles including boundaries, contracting, confidentiality, balancing the client’s autonomy with upholding the role of the therapist, all within the commercial context of The Grove.
Feedback on Sarah’s teaching style indicates that she is “structured and informed”.