Zara O'Brien
FAMILIES · THEARPY FOR PARENTS
You're holding a lot. You don't have to hold it alone.
Parenting is one of the hardest things there is — and when your child is struggling, it's even harder. Therapy for parents isn't a luxury or a last resort. It's one of the most powerful things you can do for your whole family.
WHO IS THIS FOR?
WHAT WE WORK WITH
Parenting is demanding. When you're parenting a child with additional needs, navigating systems that don't understand, fighting for support that should be there, or carrying trauma from your own experiences — it can feel impossible.
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Parents experiencing burnout from the demands of parenting
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Managing relationship strain or co-parenting conflict
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Navigating grief, loss, or difficult life transitions
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Dealing with guilt, shame, or feeling "not good enough"
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Struggling with low mood, anxiety, or losing yourself in the role
General parent support
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Parents of children with SEND, chronic illness, or neurodivergence
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Navigating EHCP processes, medical systems, school advocacy
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System frustration — professionals who don't listen, feeling gaslit
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Secondary trauma from your child's experiences
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The invisible labour of coordinating your child's entire support system
SEND/Medical Parents
BACP Registered Counsellor and Doctoral Candidate
COUNSELLING WITH ZARA
Being a parent—especially when navigating SEND, burnout, or grief—can feel like a constant cycle of being told what to do, what to fix, and how to "do better." Zara offers something different: a place to be completely honest about how hard it is, without the fear of judgment or the pressure of unsolicited advice.
Her approach is Person-Centred. In plain English, this means she doesn’t show up as the "expert" on your life—because you already are. Instead, she provides the high-quality listening and genuine relationship you need to find your own way through.
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True Understanding: A space where your feelings are validated, not managed.
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No Pressure: You set the pace. There are no "shoulds" here.
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A Real Connection: Therapy that feels like a human conversation, grounded in safety and trust.
While the relationship is the most important part of therapy, Zara knows that different days require different kinds of support. She naturally weaves in other ways of working to suit your needs:
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Looking Deeper: When you want to understand why certain patterns keep repeating or where your feelings are coming from.
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Finding Kindness: When your inner critic is loud and you need help being gentler with yourself.
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Practical Grounding: For those moments when you just need a few "in-the-trenches" strategies to help you catch your breath.
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If you're thinking therapy might help, start with a free 20-minute consultation. We'll discuss availability, briefly talk through what's happening for you, and check if this feels like the right fit.
No pressure to commit.
HOW IT WORKS IN PRACTICE
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Fee's & Format: Individual therapy sessions cost £65 and are 50 minutes. In-person in Eastbourne or online via secure video.
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Frequency: Most parents find weekly or fortnightly sessions work best so that our time is focused and maintained.
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Assessment session: We'll take time to understand what's brought you here, the difficulties you're facing, and your hopes for therapy. No pressure to commit — the first session is about seeing if this feels right for you.
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Ongoing sessions: We'll regularly review our work together, usually every 6 sessions. This gives us space to reflect on what's helping, what's changed, and where you'd like to focus next.
Ready to start?
Flexibility
You can expect:
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