Dr. Sara Alsaraf

Dr Sara Alsaraf enjoys connecting with patients, spending time hearing their story and getting to know the difficulties they face in the context of their lives. She has a broad expertise across general adult psychiatry, assessing and treating a wide range of mental health difficulties including depression, anxiety disorders including PTSD and CPTSD, emotional instability, trauma-related conditions, neurodivergent conditions, OCD, bipolar affective disorder and psychosis. She is also a therapist (creative arts/dramatherapy) and has previously had a private practice offering individual, as well as community-based and group therapy. Dr. Alsaraf has worked in the National Health Service for twenty years. She trained as a psychiatrist across London and Brighton and worked as a Consultant Psychiatrist in the ATS (community mental health teams) in Brighton, Sussex. 

Sara has a keen interest in neurodevelopmental/neurodivergent conditions and was inspired by many patients over the last ten years to pursue training in assessing and treating ADHD and in diagnosing adult autism. She has supported patients to consider whether these conditions may have been overlooked in past assessments or mis-diagnosed.

Dr. Alsaraf supports minoritised people and communities with their mental health and access to healthcare. She completed a PhD at the University of Birmingham, with her field work based in a migrant centre in East London, where she volunteered for several years as a creative arts facilitator and therapist. At the heart of her research was collaboration and respect for the co-researchers and their lived experience. She worked with Medical Justice for two years, meeting people with complex health needs and writing medicolegal reports. 

Dr. Alsaraf enjoys building a relationship with patients and taking an approach which supports their medical, psychological and social needs. She offers an empathic and collaborative approach so that people may feel heard, supported and empowered.

Dr. Alsaraf completed her medical degree at Imperial College, London and her intercalated BSc in Medical Anthropology at UCL. She has a keen interest in sociology, culture and improving social and mental health policy. She teaches medical students and master’s degree arts therapy students regularly.
Dr. Alsaraf enjoys pilates and strength training. She is interested in nutrition, women’s health and hormones and healthy living. She relaxes by spending  time in nature with her family and friends, travel, culture and cycling along the seafront.