Sharon Lenihan

Sharon Lenihan is a counsellor with five years' experience who began working with a Sexual Survivors Trust in 2021. She offers a calm, non-judgemental space for adults and young adults to talk about experiences that have left them feeling unsafe or unsure who to trust. People come to her when they want to process painful events, manage strong emotions, or rebuild confidence after trauma.

Her style is warm and collaborative. She adapts sessions to each person, using a mix of person-centred listening, cognitive behavioural techniques, psychodynamic ideas, and mindfulness practices. Sharon works at a pace that feels manageable and pays close attention to what each person needs in the moment.

She helps people process overwhelming memories, develop practical coping strategies, and strengthen self-trust. Many clients seek support for shame, anxiety, low mood, relationship difficulties or the longer-term effects of trauma. Sharon aims to provide a steady presence while people make sense of these challenges.

Before training as a counsellor she spent many years in safeguarding roles, supporting people and families through crises and complex systems. That background informs how she holds sensitive material and navigates risk and uncertainty in sessions.

People often come to Sharon to work through past experiences, manage intense feelings, sort out relationship or family challenges, or simply to have someone listen without judgement. She meets each person with care and respect and works alongside them as they find a way forward.

How evidence-based approaches can work online

Sharon draws on a few well-known, evidence-based techniques and adapts them to each person's needs. Person-centred counselling focuses on listening and reflecting so people feel heard and understood; it suits those who need space to tell their story and be believed. Cognitive behavioural approaches look at links between thoughts, feelings and actions and are useful for managing anxiety, low mood or unhelpful habit patterns. Mindfulness-based techniques teach simple attention and grounding practices that can help reduce stress and bring more calm into daily life.

Choosing the right approach is part of the work together. Sharon takes a collaborative stance and will discuss options with the client, trying different ways of working as needed until something fits. Goals, preferences and what feels manageable guide the decisions about which techniques to use.

The practical benefits of online therapy can make it easier to fit sessions into a busy life, for example by reducing travel time and allowing sessions during a lunch break or after work. When booking, confirm the current session formats available with the service since the biography does not list specific options. Sharon aims to help people find an approach and schedule that suit their everyday routines and needs.