Sonia Francis
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This professional is available for new clients.
This professional is available for new clients.
About me
Hi, I am Sonia and have over 20yrs counselling experience, working with adults, couples and young people. As an accredited therapist with the BACP, I am able to help with a wide range of mental health and emotional challenges, such as Anxiety, Depression, Relationship issues, Sexuality, Separation, Low Self-Esteem, and Stress.
I take pride in offering a service with warmth and empathy, working confidentially in a non-judgemental way that helps to bring out your unique self.
How can I help YOU
In therapy, we work together towards developing your mental health, building your confidence and strength to cope with difficulties. Fundamentally, supporting you on overcoming challenges that we all can face at times.
I use a variety of different techniques to support you as an individual. I draw on the person-centered theory, to empower you to trust not only the therapeutic relationship but yourself. We acknowledge and explore the issues building your confidence as well as your self-esteem and working towards making realistic decisions and solutions, within the here and now. On helping you, I draw on different models such as CBT exploring your thoughts, feelings, and behaviour within a situation as well as the problem. I also explore your past, which can impact on the here and now, working within areas of the psychodynamic model. Working together building your inner strength to cope better with stress, relate to others, to make choices, and essentially to believe in yourself.
How to get touch with ME
I offer a FREE 10-minute phone call or zoom to help you decide if you would like to book your first session.
You can call or text me on 07956 127416 or click here to send me an email.
I look forward on hearing from you.
Training, qualifications & experience
- Counselling training in Solution Focus and CBT.
- Qualifications such as: Advance Certificate in Therapeutic Counselling, Postgraduate Diploma in Children and Young People’s Improving Access to Psychological Therapies Programme (CYP-IAPT), Foundation Degree in Integrative Counselling and a BA Hons Degree in Counselling.
- I have many years counselling experience both with adults and within school settings, work-base settings and Children and Adolescent Mental Health Services (CAMHS).
Member organisations
Being registered/accredited with a professional body means an individual must have achieved a substantial level of training and experience approved by their member organisation.
BACP is one of the UK’s leading professional bodies for counselling and psychotherapy with around 60,000 members. The Association has several different categories of membership, including Student Member, Individual Member, Registered Member MBACP, Registered Accredited Member MBACP (Accred) and Senior Registered Accredited Member MBACP (Snr Acccred).
Registered and accredited members are listed on the BACP Register, which shows that they have demonstrated BACP’s recommended standards for training, proficiency and ethical practice. The BACP Register was the first register of psychological therapists to be accredited by the Professional Standards Authority (PSA).
Accredited and senior accredited membership are voluntary categories for members who choose to undertake a rigorous application and assessment process to demonstrate additional standards around practice, training and supervision.
Individual members will have completed an appropriate counselling or psychotherapy course and started to practise, but they won’t appear on the BACP Register until they've demonstrated that they meet the standards for registration. Student members are still in the process of completing their training.
All members are bound by the BACP Ethical Framework and a Professional Conduct Procedure.
Accredited register membership
The Accredited Register Scheme was set up in 2013 by the Department of Health (DoH) as a way to recognise organisations that hold voluntary registers which meet certain standards. These standards are set by the Professional Standards Authority (PSA).
This therapist has indicated that they belong to an Accredited Register.
Areas of counselling I deal with
Other areas of counselling I deal with
- Counselling for Young People
- School, Teachers, and Friends
- Parent Separation/Divorce
- Rape
Therapies offered
Fees
£70.00 per session
Free initial telephone or online session
Additional information
Weekly sessions are 50 minutes.
Fees: Couples £90
If you have any questions please do not hesitate to contact me. I might be with a client please leave your name and number and I will return your call as soon as possible.
When I work
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Further information
What is the aim of therapy?
- to make you feel better emotionally
- to be more confident in making your own decisions that are right for you
- to encourage growth on your coping realistically on your own
- to establish different ways and solutions
- to manage the problems/issues for couples to find their individual inner voice and to freely, confidently communicate with each other
- to feel satisfied with the outcome.
What is Mental Health?
You might be asking “what does mental health mean?” it does not mean you’re going crazy or mad, so let’s see what it is. Mental health is important at every stage of life - from childhood to adolescence and throughout adulthood. Mental health is having the ability to feel, express and manage a range of positive and negative emotions - the ability to form, make and maintain relationships - having the ability to learn from others and develop both psychologically and emotionally. Mental health helps determine how we handle stress, relate to others and make choices. It is about having the strength and the ability to cope with difficulties and to overcome challenges that we all experience during our lives - having the confidence and self-esteem to make decisions and most importantly to believe in ourselves.
My belief is “mental health issues are not something to be ashamed of".
Working with Children and Young People
Working with children and young people, for me to gain some understanding and to support the work with this particular group safely, I draw on my knowledge of the Improving Access to Psychological Therapies Programme (IAPT), using questionnaires to increase the possibility of identifying issues/problems, which I will explain in more detail during the session. For example, the child or young person might not necessarily understand a certain type of behaviour or unable to make the appropriate link to their thoughts and feelings; using the Revised Child Anxiety and Depression Scale (RCADS) questionnaire, which is usually completed by the client as well as parent/carers, if present, the RCADS helps to obtain reliable information, identifies and measures symptoms of 5 different types of anxiety disorders such as separation anxiety or panic as well as the level of depression.
I have worked with many different issues and problems that we as human beings may have or might be experiencing. It could be difficult thoughts of having no purpose, suicidal thoughts/feelings, depression or anxiety to name a few. Alongside, common mental health problems experienced by some children and young people such as parent separation, bullying and suicidal thoughts/feelings, which sometimes can lead to not wanting to go to school, not sleeping and/or self-harming.
Working with 17-24 year-olds
You may find yourself struggling with anxiety and or depression as a result of the recent pandemic. Perhaps you are feeling worried about future job prospects, relationships and general quality of life going forward? I can offer you a place where you can speak openly about any concerns and issues you are facing, without feeling judged or unheard.
"I just want the pain to stop and go away”
“I use to always feel sick”
“Everyone would be better off without me”
Testimonials
"At first, I thought why spend so much money on six counselling sessions, now at the end of my sixth session it was money well spent and a very good investment on myself"
"Surprised how challenging some sessions were, which I liked because it allowed me to really think about things"
"I have gained self-worth from counselling, a better understanding of myself and feeling confident in making choices for myself"
"As a couple communication and understanding was difficult for me and my partner, we now listen, share and talk with confidence having patients and respect for each other. Thank you"
Professional Body
As a member of the British Association of Counselling and Psychotherapy (BACP), I work within their ethical guidelines. I have professional insurance, regular professional supervision for my work and undertake regular development and training.
