Sarah Jamieson

About Sarah

Years of yoga and mindfulness practice shape how I approach to therapy, and at the heart of my work is a deep belief in the healing power of being seen, validated, and accepted. In working with me, you’ll find that I focus on helping you stay present and emotionally regulated (which means feeling your feelings without letting them take over). I see therapy as a space where we can learn to trust in our capacity to handle what arises within our lives and within ourselves. Embodied experience—kind of the opposite of being “stuck in your head”—is important to my approach because research shows that meaningful change happens when we’re connected to our present experience. And as we practice meeting each moment with our whole human selves, we gain clarity about what truly matters to us.

My work is rooted in experiential approaches, which focus on the importance of in-the-moment experiences for healing and growth. I also take a relational approach to therapy based on the empirically supported idea that relationships are central to human well-being and that healing occurs in connection with others. Another significant influence on my work is attachment theory, which explores how early relationships shape the way we understand ourselves and relate to others.

I specialize in chronic pain and trauma. Therapy offers rich ways to address chronic pain—not just by exploring the emotional challenges that come with it (like anxiety, depression, grief, or loneliness), but also by working with the behaviours and thought patterns that can contribute to developing and maintaining it, such as people-pleasing, perfectionism, and emotional suppression.

Addressing unresolved trauma can also be an important part of treating pain, and I have a particular interest in exploring the connection between chronic pain (and fatigue) and underlying trauma. People who have experienced trauma have a higher risk of developing chronic pain, so it’s common for people to seek support for both. However, because pain is often treated as a physical issue and trauma as a mental health issue, it can be tough to find practitioners who address both. That’s where I come in. I take a whole-person approach to health, heavily focused on cultivating a sense of safety, which can support you in finding your unique path to recovery.

I work part-time with Turning Point Therapy in Vancouver and part-time with Change Pain, a physician-led interdisciplinary pain clinic, in Burnaby. I offer in person and online sessions through both locations.