About Me

Hi, I’m Sass Boucher, a person-centred counsellor and psychotherapist. I believe deeply in the power of authentic, regardful relationships, connections that are central to personal growth, healing, and understanding who we are.

​

I understand that reaching out to a counsellor can feel overwhelming, especially when you’re not at your best. If you’re considering making changes or gaining a deeper awareness of yourself, it’s important to take your time, do your research, and find the right fit for you. The relationship between counsellor and client is key. Evidence consistently shows that it is this therapeutic connection that supports change, often more so than any specific approach or modality.

​

I am wholeheartedly committed to the person-centred approach, which places you, the client, at the heart of the process. Together, we work within Carl Rogers’ core conditions of empathy, authenticity, and unconditional positive regard to create a safe, supportive, and non-judgemental space. You do not need to know or understand the theory for this to be helpful.

Alongside my person-centred training, I have also undertaken training in cognitive behavioural therapy (CBT), transactional analysis, and short-term solution-focused approaches. This means I work flexibly and thoughtfully, while remaining grounded in a person-centred way of being. My role is not to fix or analyse you, but to sit alongside you as you explore what feels difficult, unresolved, or overwhelming.

​

My Background and Experience

I am a qualified counsellor and psychotherapist working in private practice, offering online sessions across the UK. I am accredited by the British Association for Counselling and Psychotherapy (BACP).

​

I completed an MSc in Counselling Psychology at Keele University, with a focus on person-centred theory, and have since worked in a range of settings including a hospice, a domestic violence charity, a large private practice, and my own independent practice. Alongside my practice, I have over 25 years’ experience working across the voluntary, private, and public sectors. I previously taught on the MSc Counselling and Psychotherapy programme at Keele University, where I supported trainee counsellors in developing their clinical practice, reflective capacity, and professional identity.

 

People often come to therapy when something no longer feels sustainable. This might be a sense that something is missing, or that there are barriers to feeling better about yourself or your life. This can show up as anxiety that will not settle, feeling lost or disconnected, work or relationships taking more out than they give, or a quieter sense that something needs to change but is hard to name.

​

I work with a wide range of experiences, including anxiety, depression, identity and self-esteem, relationship difficulties, loss and bereavement, and life transitions.

​

Alongside my broader therapeutic work, I bring particular experience and focus to two areas shaped by ongoing learning, research, and professional commitment. The first is working with people in caring roles and helping professions, with careful attention to the impact of responsibility, exposure to others’ distress, burnout, and professional trauma and fatigue. The second is working with experiences of domestic or sexual abuse, where my practice is informed by specialist interest, continued learning, and a careful, trauma-aware approach.

I also work as an affiliate counsellor for The Listening Centre, supporting employees through their Employee Assistance Programme (EAP), and I accept referrals from health insurance providers and organisations that prioritise emotional wellbeing.

​

My Research and Professional Focus

My MSc research, Looking Through a Lens of Terribleness, explored the experiences of professionals working with trauma and distress, particularly those supporting people who have lived with domestic abuse. This research led to the development of Professional Trauma and Fatigue, an umbrella term that brings together experiences such as burnout, vicarious trauma, and compassion fatigue.

​

From this work, I developed the Five Pillars of Protection: awareness, trauma-informed practice, supervision, self-care, and peer support. This framework supports professionals to stay well in demanding roles, while also recognising the rewards of the work, including compassion satisfaction, vicarious resilience, and post-traumatic growth. This perspective continues to inform my counselling practice, writing, and work with students and professionals.

​

Beyond Counselling

I am a Co-Founder and Director of SelfCare Psychology Ltd, an organisation focused on supporting helping professionals such as counsellors, social workers, and others working closely with distress and trauma. Our work centres on creating cultural shifts that value care, connection, and sustainability, recognising that individual self-care alone cannot counteract systemic pressures in the workplace.

​

I also write about counselling, self-care, and wellbeing in professional contexts. My work has been featured in publications including the BACP Workplace Journal, Social Work News, and The Counsellors Café. I have co-authored 50 Acts of Professional Self-Care for Social Work, contributed to SHARE: A New Model for Social Work, and written a chapter for Lisa Cherry’s Conversations that Make a Difference for Children and Young People: Relationship-Focused Practice from the Frontline.

​

Working With Me

Whether in the therapy room, teaching space, or training environment, my focus is on creating conditions where people feel genuinely seen, heard, and respected. I believe that regardful, empathic, and authentic relationships provide a strong foundation for growth and self-discovery.

​

If you’d like to explore working together, you’re welcome to get in touch using the form below or email me at sass@sassboucher.com. I’m happy to answer questions and support you to consider what might feel helpful for you, at your own pace.

​

Take care,

Sass

​