Sarmila Thevarajah

I am a therapeutic care worker at Great Ormond Street Hospital, where I have worked for almost ten years, including three years on the Mildred Creak Unit, a specialist child and adolescent mental health service for children aged 7–13. Through this work, I became increasingly interested in what shapes a person, the dynamic interplay between the external world, the internal world, and the ways these are expressed in children’s lives, which led me to undertake the M7 Observation Course at the Tavistock and Portman NHS Trust. My infant observations are currently underway, and I aim to apply for the M80 Doctorate in Child and Adolescent Psychotherapy.

As a Sri Lankan British woman, I am deeply aware of cultural and societal barriers that can make it difficult to speak openly about feelings and emotions. This has shaped my commitment to creating a safe space that supports navigating both our outer and internal worlds, enabling us to truly own every part of who we are, and to take up space where we are often taught to shrink.

I am passionate about equity in mental health, supporting children from underrepresented communities and ensuring psychotherapy reflects the diversity of those we serve. My goal is to become the person I needed growing up, to show that it is possible, and that it is okay to take up space fully, embracing all of who we are.