Sarah McMurray Blog

The problem with trying to be perfect: A psychodynamic view It took time in my own therapy to tolerate that I struggled with perfectionism.  Perfectionism is often admired, driven in part by social media’s relentless offering of glittering and aspirational curated worlds. But as Tolkien tells us - ‘all that glitters is not gold’. Inside the perfectionist’s emotional world, it is rarely experienced as admirable. It is exhausting. It is lonely. And it is driven less by aspirati

As a therapist, I am not immune to stressful periods. Workload/ life balance management, a busy client private practice, an over-flowing...

For many young people, the transition to university is framed as an exciting leap into adulthood — new friendships, freedom to study your...

Work-related Stress I recently left my job to focus on building my psychodynamic therapy private practice. I’m lucky to have found a new...

(Tony Blair on Jimmy’s Jobs for the Future Podcast) I’m a psychodynamic therapist and my professional focus is to support adults and...

This period can trigger anxiety and stress leaving us feeling unable to measure up to society pressures to reinvent ourselves in January....

Christmas, without a doubt, is the most challenging time of the year. Social media and television adverts would make us believe it’s a...

Cyber-Bullying and Teenagers In the counselling room the subject of bullying comes up regularly and it is one of the most damaging...

As we move through November, we also welcome #movember, a month dedicated to raising awareness about men’s health issues, particularly...

What Are Adverse Childhood Experiences (ACEs)? Adverse Childhood Experiences (ACEs) refer to a range of traumatic events that can occur...

Young people are complicated.  I work with young people from 16-25 years and understand how the adolescent brain undergoes significant...

Feeling low for a short period is a normal part of life but when lack of motivation becomes intrusive and affects how we function, it may...