sarah holyoake

Mental Health and Wellbeing Practitioner with over 4 years’ of experience working with patients and students with mental health issues.

I have worked with patients with personality disorders, psychosis, bi-polar, schizophrenia, depression, anxiety, substance misuse issues, LD, OCD, ASD and ADHD, many of whom had experienced abuse and serious trauma. I have completed a 2-year CertHE Counselling Course at Birkbeck and am now halfway through a MSc in Counselling and Coaching to become a fully qualified BACP counsellor. 

I am a very bright, motivated hard worker and a dynamic and adaptable individual. I have always possessed a very strong work ethic and am at ease working either independently or within a team.  I pick up new systems and ideas very quickly. I am a very fast learner. 

QA Higher Education                                                                                      November 2021 - present

Position: Wellbeing Practitioner - Mental Health

Working alongside the Welfare team in this Higher Education provider, this was a new role, which I made my own. When I started, I was the sole person in the University to provide mental health support to students. I carry out assessments, provide one-to-one short to long-term support, deliver wellbeing preventative interventions and make external referrals for students who present with a range of mental health difficulties and psychological wellbeing issues. I managed a caseload of 60 students at times.

I now work as part of a team to identify, develop and promote new initiatives to support students with additional learning needs. I trained the newer members of the team when they started. 

The team contributes to the promotion of student mental wellbeing and the awareness of student mental health issues across QAHE, including through staff training. We create groups and organise activities to help the students integrate, improve their mental health and raise awareness of our roles and mental health issues, removing the stigma around seeking help.

I determine the suitability of interventions and specific referrals to other services, and decide the best path of action for each individual – some we refer to our counsellors, some I continue to support, others I refer to external agencies. 

In situations of mental health crisis, I sensitively assess the risks and make high-level decisions quickly about risk management to protect the student and the wider community.

I am self-motivated, adaptable and flexible in my approach to delivering an excellent service to students. 

I have excellent communication skills, and a warm and non-judgmental approach. I have excellent organisational skills, together with the ability to respond rapidly and work under pressure as and when required.

SWLSTG NHS Trust                                                                     September 2019 – October 2021

            Position: Senior Healthcare Support Worker

I worked on Lotus - a 48-hour, nurse-led assessment unit in Springfield Hospital. The patients we saw daily came in with a varied and complex range of mental health problems, including suicidal ideation, personality disorders, depression, psychosis, or severe anxiety. 

• I worked alongside the nurses as one of them to deliver care, such as nutrition, hydration, hygiene, comfort, emotional and social support, to the patients.  
• I engaged in person-centred, psychologically informed therapeutic work with the patients, in an open, honest and non-judgmental way and I tried to builds relationships with the patients and make them feel listened to and valued.  
• I assisted in admissions and discharges and helped carry out an in-depth assessment on admission and, in collaboration with the MDT, came up with a detailed, holistic care plan for patients.
• I conducted initial and on-going risk assessments to assess the risk of harm to self (and others.) 
• I also worked on the HBPoS/136 suite where patients were brought in by the Police. These patients were often extremely unwell/ agitated/ aggressive and often high risk to themselves or others. This built up my resilience and ability to cope in stressful and somewhat dangerous environments.
• I liaised with external agencies to provide the patients with the best ongoing care. For example: Home Treatment Teams, Recovery and Support Teams, Homelessness Teams, Drug & Alcohol, Domestic abuse, Employment, Carers’ support, Befriending Services, Safeguarding, Education services. 
• I worked within a multi-disciplinary team, alongside Doctors, Psychiatrists, Nurses, Social Workers, Key workers/ care coordinators. 

First Thought IP                                                                         May 2017 – September 2019 – 15 hours a week

            Position:Administrator/ PA/ Records supervisor                      

Waterloo Community Counselling                                          May 2018- February 2019- 20 hours per week

            Position:PA/ Support worker    

University of East London                                                                     September 2023 – July 2025

            Counselling and Coaching MSc

QAHE 

National centre for Domestic violence – training – April 2023

Cruse Bereavement Support Loss and Bereavement Awareness Webinar – July 22

First Aider Training – July 22

Conflict management training – December 22

Peace Advocates LondonWide - Professional Session – Exit Hate  – Dec 22

Birkbeck University                                                                  January 2018 - June 2019

            Counselling and Counselling Skills (Certificate in Higher Education) - Merit