Dr Sarah Atayero

Hi! I’m Sarah and I’m a Clinical Psychologist.

We all face life challenges that evolve and intensify at different stages of our lives. This can affect how we view ourselves, our relationships, and our connection to the world.

As a London-born, British Nigerian clinical psychologist with over seven years of experience in NHS, private and non-profit organisations, I provide a safe and non-judgemental space for you to explore these challenges, feel heard and supported.

I hold a bachelor’s degree in Experimental Psychology from the University of Oxford, a master’s degree in Affective Disorders from King’s College London, and a doctorate in Clinical Psychology from Royal Holloway, University of London.

My practice is built on a foundation of compassion, allowing you to bring your whole self to our sessions. I champion a ‘come as you are’ ethos, providing an inclusive space for people to explore their identity and beliefs.

In addition to my therapeutic work, I provide organisational support in the workplace through reflective practice groups and anti-racism training, ensuring that staff feel empowered in their roles and that workplaces become more inclusive and equitable environments. My commitment to diversity and cultural competence underpins all my professional activities.

Whether this is your first time in therapy or not, meeting a new therapist can be daunting, and that’s completely understandable. Our initial session will focus on helping you feel at ease and relationship-building. We’ll spend some time getting to know each other, and I’ll explain a little about how therapy works, giving you a sense of what it might be like to work with me.

We’ll explore what brought you here and what you hope to gain from our sessions, and if it feels right, we can start to think about a plan for how I can support you going forward.

Most importantly, our time together will move at a pace that feels comfortable for you. I’ll regularly check in to make sure you feel heard and understood, and I welcome any feedback as we work together to meet your therapy needs.

Throughout my career, I have supported a diverse range of people, including adults experiencing work-related stress, burnout, depression, PTSD, racial trauma, long-term health conditions and relationship challenges. I have also had the privilege of working with children and young people facing challenges like OCD, low self-esteem, and anxiety, as well as adults dealing with severe mental health issues such as psychosis, bipolar disorder, and schizophrenia.

My interventions are tailored to address the individual needs of each person, these include Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT), Compassion Focused Therapy (CFT), mindfulness, systemic, narrative, and trauma-informed approaches. My practice considers broader social and systemic factors that impact mental health, ensuring that each intervention is not only individualised but deeply contextualised.

Community and connection are vital to my own wellbeing. Outside of work, I love to host gatherings for friends, family, and various community groups. I also enjoy exploring London’s culinary scene and indulging in British crime dramas (any ‘Line of Duty’ or ‘Happy Valley’ fans?).

Atayero, S. (2022). Herstory. In Linton. S., & Walcott. R. (Eds.). The Colour of Madness: Mental Health & Race in Technicolour (2nd ed.) Pan Macmillan.

Atayero, S., & Dodzro, R. (2021). When your university doesn’t understand the assignment: Exposing a lack of transparency and accountability of diversity and inclusion data from Doctorate in Clinical Psychology courses. Clinical Psychology Forum, 347, 11.

Atayero, S. (2020). Decolonisation among clinicians. The Psychologist, 33, 38-39. https://lnkd.in/dPDYQjz

Atayero, S., Dunton, K., Mattock, S., Gore, A., Douglas, S., Leman, P., & Zunszain, P. (2020). Teaching and discussing mental health among university students: a pilot arts-based study. Health Education.

Atayero, S. (2018). The diagnostic system: why the classification of psychiatric disorders is necessary, difficult and never settled. Journal of Mental Health, 27(5), 482-482. https://doi.org/10.1080/09638237.2018.1487545

Rowntree, G., Atayero, S., Diem O ́Connell, M., Hoffmann, M., Jassi, A., Narusevicius, V., & Tsapekos, D. (2015). Resilience in Emergency Medical Responders: A Pilot Study of a Reflective Journal Intervention Using a Mixed Methods Approach. Journal of European Psychology Students, 6(2), 79–84. http://dx.doi.org/10.5334/jeps.cw