Sara-Louise Ackrill | Therapist and Coach
About Sara-Louise
Sara-Louise is a qualified counsellor, executive coach, and international speaker with a diverse background spanning politics, mental health, and neurodiversity. With specialist training in grief, family systems, and domestic abuse, she blends therapeutic insight with professional development—working across the UK, Middle East, and South Asia as a coach, therapist, and corporate trainer.
Sara-Louise trained in counselling in France (a two-year Certificate in Psychosynthesis Studies at UK Counselling Diploma level) and the UK (a one-year Certificate in Integrative Counselling). She holds a degree in Politics, has studied Research Methods at postgraduate level, and has completed postgraduate CPD in both Grief and Family Systems work. She has experience as both an Employability and Executive Coach and is currently completing her Level 7 qualification in Leadership Coaching.
With a background in Information, Advice and Guidance, Sara-Louise has also completed three separate Domestic Abuse trainings, which she applies in corporate settings through Domestic Abuse Awareness and Workplace training. She has written and delivered two courses on employability and disability and is co-author of 'The ND Lovers Club'. A regular on the professional corporate speaking circuit, she works across the UK, Middle East, and South Asia as a therapist, coach, speaker, and facilitator.
Work With Sara-Louise
Sara-Louise primarily sees clients online, working with people from all over the world. A limited number of in-person sessions are available in Baker Street, London.
Clients typically pay privately, through their employer, via platforms like Zest, or occasionally with Access to Work grants. Sessions are charged by the hour, with discounts offered for block bookings (six sessions for the price of five, paid in advance). Most clients work with her fortnightly, though occasional weekly sessions are available. Invoices are issued monthly and in arrears.
Sessions involve psychoeducation, self-advocacy, support around self-acceptance and internalised ableism, identifying and leveraging client strengths, improving communication, and navigating work or relationship challenges. They also include implementing Reasonable Adjustments and exploring the client’s quality of life, relationships, weekly routines, relaxation strategies, and life goals. It is a thorough, reflective approach. While introspection is encouraged, between-session homework is optional. For those who like it, Sara-Louise provides audio-visual recommendations.
Specialisms
- Therapy and coaching (hybrid model)
- Supervision for therapists and coaches
- Public speaking coaching (Sara-Louise is a regular paid speaker represented by several leading London bureau)
- Leadership and entrepreneurial coaching for individuals in academia, the arts, non-profit and commercial sectors (details and testimonials available on request)
- Employability coaching, drawing on her experience working with over 300 clients and delivering multiple in-person and online courses
More About How Sara Works
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Sara-Louise occasionally works with parents, partners, line managers, or HR professionals to communicate a client’s challenges and suggest Reasonable Adjustments, while maintaining strict boundaries around confidentiality. She clarifies what can and cannot be shared in advance. Her role includes identifying whether challenges are neurodiversity-related and helping to implement and assess adjustments. Clients typically experience difficulties with communication and executive function, and often require changes to how work is approached—not just environmental accommodations or assistive technology.
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With the client's permission, Sara-Louise can share an overview of topics covered and strategies discussed. She may also facilitate communication sessions to explain the client’s needs, with or without the client present. She may offer a separate confidential space for supporters but does not share specific session content without consent.
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Sara-Louise works with leaders, professionals, self-employed individuals, and students. She is not the right fit for individuals who have attended special education settings outside the mainstream system. While she works with young people not in education, employment, or training, she is not a PDA (Pathological Demand Avoidance) specialist.
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Sara-Louise supports clients in advocating for themselves with doctors and frequently provides letters to aid referrals. However, she cannot attribute all challenges to neurodiversity if she believes a serious mental health condition is the primary concern. Her services do not replace medical care. Many of her clients experience anxiety, depression, OCD, and complex trauma. She has also worked with individuals diagnosed with bipolar disorder. For those potentially meeting criteria for Emotionally Unstable Personality Disorder (formerly BPD), she typically refers to NHS services such as DBT, adapted CBT, or trauma therapy.
When coaching clients whose sessions are funded by their employers, she clearly distinguishes between neurodiversity-related issues and those that may require workplace assessments, DEI training, or better awareness of the Equality Act.
She does not work with young people to reinforce expectations around specific life paths, such as career, education, relationships, or identity, on behalf of paying parents. Her focus is on helping individuals live authentically.
If a client is in significant distress, she may recommend exploring medication with a doctor. Cultural resistance is respected, but sessions cannot be used to maintain long-term distress without progress. She can continue work after such discussions as long as expectations remain realistic.
She cannot ‘talk away’ trauma, but she can help individuals understand its impact and manage its effects. She often refers to EMDR, Brainspotting, or Hypnotherapy for deeper trauma work.
She does not prepare court reports for domestic violence cases unless it is part of an ongoing therapeutic relationship. She supports survivors of all genders, provided they can attend sessions independently and manage their own scheduling and payments.
Get in Touch
Not sure which of our team will be best to provide the support you need? Complete this simple form and a member of our Professional Services team will be in touch as soon as possible to talk through your needs and arrange a Discovery Call with one or more practitioners.