Growing something good…
Child Psychologist · Family Therapist · Clinical Supervisor
Warm, evidence-based psychological support for children, teens and the grown-ups who love them, in person at ClearMinds Center for Emotional Health, Dubai, and online.
Toys are their words. My job is to listen.
I'm Sara Caroppo, an Italian-born Child Psychologist, Family Therapist and Clinical Supervisor with over 12 years of experience across Italy, the UK and the UAE. Today I see children, teens and families at ClearMinds Center for Emotional Health in Dubai, after years of practice as a school psychologist within Dubai's leading schools.
Children rarely say "I'm anxious." They say it with tummy aches, meltdowns, silence, or a sudden fear of the dark. Behaviour is communication, and once we understand what a child is trying to tell us, we can help them build the emotional skills to thrive.
Education
Experience within schools
Therapy competencies
Earlier practice includes school counselling across London (St. Dunstan's College, Sedgehill Academy, Addey & Stanhope, Queen Elizabeth School) and psychosocial lead roles with Compass UK.
How it works
We start with a call, just the grown-ups. You share your story; I listen, ask questions and explain how I could help.
Gentle, play-based first sessions where your child sets the pace. No pressure, no tests, just building trust.
Together we agree on goals and a rhythm of sessions, with clear tools for home so the whole family moves forward.
We review progress regularly. My favourite goal? Making myself unnecessary, because your child now has the skills.
My approach
I combine CBT with a family-focused (systemic) approach. A child's feelings and behaviour are connected to home, school, friendships and community. So instead of only asking "what is wrong?", I ask "what is happening around this child?". This is especially important for international families in Dubai, where those worlds change often.
Understand the whole picture. Together we build a clear clinical picture from family life, school and daily routines, so we treat the real cause of a challenge, not only the symptoms.
Build tools that fit. Practical CBT strategies, plus play and art therapy for younger children: simple skills that work at home and at school.
Support the adults too. I guide parents and work together with schools, so progress continues outside the therapy room.
How I can help
For ages 3–18 & their families
Clinical assessment followed by one-to-one therapy tailored to age and personality: talk-based for teens, play and art-based for younger children, with family sessions when needed.
For parents & caregivers
You know your child best. In these one-to-one sessions I help you understand what is behind their behaviour and give you clear, practical strategies you can use at home from day one.
A separate advisory service · Dubai
A standalone service for one decision: finding the right school. Choosing a school here isn't about the highest rating. It is about the best match for your child.
For practitioners
UK-qualified supervision (PGCert, University of Derby) for psychologists, counsellors and psychotherapists, individually or in small groups, in person or online.
Every child has hard days. That's healthy development, not a problem. But sometimes a pattern deserves a closer, caring look. You know your child best; these are simply common signals families bring to me.
Persistent bedtime battles, nightmares, or distress when separating from you that isn't easing with time.
Emotional storms that feel bigger, longer or more frequent than expected for their developmental stage.
A previously social child pulling inward, avoiding friends, or carrying worries that seem too heavy for small shoulders.
Sudden reluctance to attend school, frequent tummy aches on school mornings, or an unexplained drop in engagement.
A move, a new sibling, separation or loss: moments when extra support helps a child integrate change instead of carrying it.
Sometimes there's no single symptom, just a quiet sense that something is off. That instinct deserves to be heard, too.
Curious what sessions feel like from your child's side? There's a section written just for them, and it answers the questions kids ask me most.
Parenting is the hardest job in the world, and it comes without a manual. These sessions are for you, without your child present: a calm space to understand what is driving their behaviour and to leave with strategies that actually work at home. This is ongoing parenting support, a separate service from my one-off School-Fit Advisory.
Available as single sessions or a short series, online or in person in Dubai. Many parents combine them with their child's therapy; many come on their own.
Book a parenting session →
This is a one-off advisory package focused on a single decision, separate from parenting sessions and from therapy. Dubai has hundreds of schools and more than a dozen curricula. As a child psychologist and school counsellor with 12+ years of experience working within schools, I help you look past the ratings and find the environment where your child will genuinely thrive. The package includes:
Your family's story, priorities, values and practical needs.
A friendly session to understand your child's learning style, strengths and needs.
British, IB, American and beyond: what each demands, and what fits your child.
A shortlist of schools matched to your child, with clear reasoning.
"Choosing the right school is not about finding the highest-rated school. It is about finding the best match for your child."
Supervision is where our work becomes safer, sharper and more sustainable. As a UK-qualified Clinical Supervisor with over a decade in child and adolescent psychology, much of it inside schools, I offer a reflective space grounded in real-world practice.
Individual or small group. Regular sessions in person in Dubai or online, structured around your caseload and development goals.
Safeguarding expertise. Years of managing school referrals and safeguarding support means complex dilemmas get grounded, practical thinking.
CBT-informed development. Strengthen formulation and intervention skills with a supervisor who also lectures in CBT at university level.
For young people
Coming to talk to someone new can feel a bit strange. That's completely normal. Here are the questions kids and teens ask me most.
Mostly? We talk, play, draw, or build things, whatever feels right for you. There's no test, no wrong answers, and nothing you have to do. My room is a place where you get to be exactly who you are.
What we talk about stays between us. That is called confidentiality, and it matters a lot to me. The only time I'd share something is if I were worried about your safety, and even then, I'd talk with you about it first.
Not at all. Everyone's brain gets tangled sometimes, with worry, anger, sadness, or things that are hard to explain. Talking it through is one of the bravest, smartest things a person can do. Athletes have coaches; feelings can have one too.
That's okay! Some of my best sessions have very few words in them. We can play a game, make art, or just sit for a bit. You set the pace, always.
Questions
For younger children, sessions simply feel like special playtime with a friendly grown-up who really listens. We use age-appropriate language, often something like "a feelings coach". There's nothing clinical or intimidating about the room, the tone or the process.
Very. Depending on your child's age, parents join parts of sessions or have regular dedicated check-ins. Research is clear: children make the fastest, most durable progress when the adults around them are part of the process. You'll always know what we're working on and how to support it at home.
I practise at ClearMinds Center for Emotional Health in Dubai. Parent coaching and sessions with older children and teens also work very well online, and we can combine both formats flexibly.
No, they are three separate services. School-Fit Advisory is a one-off consultation package to help you choose the right school. Parenting sessions are ongoing coaching for you as a parent. Therapy is clinical support for your child. The advisory includes a friendly session with your child to understand their learning style, but it is not therapy and it does not produce a diagnosis. If something emerges that deserves further support, I'll tell you openly and we can discuss the right next step.
It depends on your child and the goal. Some challenges shift meaningfully within six to eight sessions; others benefit from longer support. We set goals early, review progress together regularly, and my aim is always the shortest path to lasting change, never open-ended therapy for its own sake.
Yes. What is shared in sessions stays private, in line with professional and ethical guidelines. The one exception is safety: if I were ever seriously concerned about a child's wellbeing, I would involve you as parents and we would agree the next steps together.
Let's talk
Reach out for a confidential conversation about your child, your family, a school decision, or your own clinical practice. I'll respond personally.
Tuesday – Saturday · 9AM – 6PM
Sunday · Closed
Monday · Closed