Sarah O'Sullivan

Sarah O'Sullivan is an AASW social worker with six years in direct therapeutic work. She draws on long personal experience with mental illness and earlier roles as a lived experience worker to shape practical, down-to-earth support. Sarah talks plainly and focuses on what a person needs right now. She has worked in both government and non-government services and understands how hard it can be to find the right help. That experience led her to add advocacy to her offering, helping people navigate systems and paperwork. She also prepares functional capacity assessments using the Allen's Model of cognitive function and can provide detailed reports for court or NDIS processes when needed. Sarah’s clinical interests include parenting and building parental capacity, chronic and complex mental health, addictions and relapse planning, and recovery coaching. She uses approaches such as attachment-based work, narrative methods and mindfulness in session. Conversations are practical and tailored - clients map what matters and set small, achievable steps. Her background includes work with domestic violence-informed frameworks, and she can assist with domestic violence perpetrator mapping using the Safe and Together model where appropriate. She also supports people with issues linked to attachment, adoption and foster care, autism spectrum conditions, codependency, and family difficulties. Sarah aims to make therapy straightforward and useful. She meets people where they are, listens to personal stories, and helps build plans that fit everyday life.

Online approaches that focus on story, attachment and awareness

Attachment-based work pays close attention to how early relationships shape current needs. It helps people understand patterns in close relationships and how to build steadier ways of relating. Narrative therapy helps someone separate themselves from their problems by re-telling life events and finding different meanings. It can be useful for trauma, identity questions and ongoing stress. Mindfulness therapy teaches simple attention and breathing practices to reduce reactivity and manage anxiety or cravings in daily life. Choosing the right approach is part of the process rather than a single decision up front. Sarah will work collaboratively to see what fits a person's goals and preferences, and she adjusts methods based on how someone responds. This means treatment can shift from conversation and story work to practical relapse plans or mindfulness exercises as needed. The biography does not specify which online formats are offered, so confirm current options before booking. Online sessions can make it easier to fit therapy around work, caregiving and travel, reduce commuting time and allow shorter check-ins when needed. Many people find remote sessions help maintain momentum between face-to-face appointments and make follow-up work more consistent.