Dr Sara Tookey

Ph.D., DClinPsy, MA, BA, C.Psychol. (BPS), Registered Clinical Psychologist (HCPC), AFHE
Founder and Director of True North Psychology

 Dr Sara Tookey is the founder & director of True North Psychology. She is an experienced Clinical Psychologist and Existential Psychotherapist, and works as a lecturer, scientific researcher, coach and supervisor. Sara has worked in mental health for the last 17 years, and has a broad experience base, working for the National Health Service, UK as well as charities and private sectors in the UK, USA and India.

In therapy, Sara takes an open, non-judgemental and compassionate approach. She is deeply committed to developing a clear understanding of the issues that bring her clients to therapy and takes a collaborative approach to empower clients to make changes toward personal and relational growth so that they may live a more meaningful and satisfied life.

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Therapeutic Approach:

Sara is an integrative therapist meaning she works flexibly across multiple therapeutic approaches (including CBT, CFT, EMDR, Existential Therapy, Narrative Therapy, Psychodynamic, ACT, Systemic, Somatic Approaches) to design a therapeutic package that suits the unique needs of her clients. She uses only approaches that are grounded in theory and effectiveness, and has received extensive training to deliver therapy in this way.

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Specialisms:

- Physical health and illness (including cancer, palliative/terminal illness and end of life issues),

- Neurodivergence

- Gender, sexual and relationship diversity (including offering couples/relationship therapy for people in monogamous and non-monogamous relationships)

- Existential crises

- Anxiety and depression

- Bereavement, grief and loss

- Integration following profound experiences with non-ordinary states of consciousness (including psychedelic integration).

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Current Employment:

Alongside her work with TNP, Sara works as the Head of Clinical Training and Consultant Psychologist for an online therapy start-up, providing affordable and accessible evidence-based therapies to diverse populations in India.

She is passionate about contributing to the field of research and supporting the professional growth of clinical and non-clinical staff. She provides individual supervision to clinical and counselling psychologist and group supervision and reflective practice to clinical and non-clinical healthcare staff, and people engaged in integration therapy (as part of psychedelic harm reduction services). 

She also provides psychological consultancy to organisations to enable businesses to use compassion-focused leadership to enhance the wellbeing and support the mental health of their staff. 

She has particular interest in psychedelic-assisted therapies, and is a Clinical Board Member at Albert Labs, where she provides her expertise in psycho-oncology to inform the development of a real-world evidence clinical trial looking into the effects of psychedelic-assisted therapies amongst patients with cancer related distress. She also holds an honorary post at the Institute of Psychology, Psychiatry and Neuroscience (IoPPN) at King’s College London (KCL), where she provides psychological support to participants in psychedelic clinical trials at Europe's first psychedelic clinical research trials facility. 

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Qualifications:
2007 BA Psychology, Western Washington University 
2011 MA Existential Phenomenological Psychotherapy, Seattle University w/ Year Internship at University of Washington's Family Medical Centre 
2014 PhD Psychology (Psycho-oncology), University of Birmingham 

2014 Post Graduate Certificate Higher Education Teaching. Associate Fellow of Higher Education Academy (AFHEA) (2014)

2017 Gender, Sexuality and Relationship Diversities Training, PINK Therapy
2020 Doctorate in Clinical Psychology (DClinPsy), University College London 

2024 EMDR Practitioner Training (EMDR Association UK) - In Training

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Memberships & Registrations:
British Psychological Society (BPS) Charted Clinical & Research Psychologist (265991)
Health & Care Professions Council (HCPC) Registered Clinical Psychologist (license- PYL 38890)

Association for Clinical Psychologists (ACP) UK Full Membership & ACP Member Network for Leadership

Professional Member of the Institute of Psychedelic Therapy

American Psychological Association (APA) Affiliate Membership

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