About me
Hello, I’m Sofia.
I am a Humanistic and Integrative Counsellor and Psychotherapist. I offer a warm, empathetic, and confidential space where I aim for you to feel truly heard and understood. By working at your pace, safely and ethically, I aim to build a consistent and secure relationship based on trust and rapport. I provide a non-judgmental environment where you can explore whatever you need and I will hold with compassion and respect. Together we will work collaboratively to explore your present challenges and underlying patterns. I will support you to make sense of your thoughts, feelings and experiences.
You’re invited to book a free 20-minute introduction call to see how we can work together.
Who I work with:
I specialise in supporting adults who are struggling in their relationships, whether that’s with others, or with themselves. Many of the people I work with have always felt different, misunderstood, or emotionally on the outside of their own families. I believe that we are shaped by your life experiences which is truly one-of-a-kind. I can help you understand how these experiences continue to affect you, how they show up in your everyday life and relationships, and how they may be keeping you stuck. Together, we can explore this and navigate the challenges that brought you to therapy. You don’t need to be in crisis to begin therapy, many of my clients come to me when they’re ready to stop surviving and start healing.
- You might be feeling anxious, overwhelmed, disconnected, or stuck in self-doubt.
- You might be coping by staying busy, overthinking, people-pleasing, or minimising what we’ve been through.
- Maybe others or you told yourself it wasn’t “bad enough” for therapy, but something still aches and you’re tired of carrying it alone.
These feelings often have deeper roots, shaped by earlier experiences of being unsupported, unseen, or hurt by those around us. I help you understand how these experiences continue to affect you, how they show up in your everyday life and relationships, and how they may be keeping you stuck.
You don’t need to be in crisis to begin therapy. Many of my clients come to me when they’re ready to stop surviving and start healing, gently, honestly, and at their own pace.
If you’re open to working with curiosity and honesty, I’ll walk alongside you with warmth, and compassion. I offer a safe, respectful space where you can feel seen and accepted, and begin to make sense of your inner world. I work with adults online and in person, offering a space for lasting change, not just short-term relief.
My Approach to Therapy:
As a humanistic therapist, we will work collaboratively and I place you at the centre of the work. I believe that healing happens not through advice or instruction, but through relationship, one that is consistent, attuned, and accepting. I see you as a whole person, not a set of symptoms, and hold deep respect for your emotional, physical, relational, and spiritual experience. My integrative approach allows me to draw from a range of therapeutic models, including attachment theory. No two people are the same, so therapy with me isn’t one-size-fits-all.
I will help you to explore how your past may be shaping your present, gently, at your pace and begin to untangle the ways you’ve had to adapt. This work can support you to reconnect with parts of yourself that may have been silenced, shamed, or forgotten.
Training, qualifications & experience
Picking the right therapist for you is a vital step in when you start therapy. An important starting place is checking that they have the right qualifications, however the most vital part of it is a sense that you can feel comfortable and can connect with them.
Before becoming a therapist, I worked across charity and community services, supporting people with complex needs, mental health challenges, domestic abuse, and relational trauma. My roles included working as a mental health support worker and complex needs practitioner, offering both one-to-one support and delivering group sessions focused on self-care and mindful practices.
Alongside my therapy practice, I continue to support individuals within educational settings who are navigating the impact of unacceptable behaviours, contributing to over a decade of experience in frontline relational and mental health roles.
Clinical Placements:
First Step, a service supporting male survivors of sexual abuse.
January 2023 - present
The Olive Trust, which provides low-cost counselling for individuals facing a range of relational difficulties, mental health concerns, and traumatic experiences.
January 2024 - December 2024
These placements shaped my ability to hold space for shame, boundary violations, and trauma within safe, consistent therapeutic relationships. All this contributes to how I can support you.
Qualifications:
BSc (Hons) Counselling & Psychotherapy – Sherwood Psychotherapy Institute
Level 4 Higher Certificate Psychodynamic Counselling Key Skills in Counselling
Professional Development:
As part of my commitment to ethical and reflective practice, I regularly update my skills through continuing professional development, further training, reading, and clinical workshops. I also attend regular supervision and engage in ongoing personal therapy, which I view as essential to the depth and integrity of my work.
Professional Membership:
I am a registered member of the British Association of Counselling and Psychotherapy (MBACP) and follow their ethical framework.
I am registered with the Information Commissioner’s Office (ICO) and committed to handling all personal information safely and in line with current data protection regulations.
I hold professional indemnity insurance and maintain a current, enhanced DBS certificate, registered with the DBS Update Service for ongoing verification and safeguarding compliance.
Member organisations
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
Therapies offered
Photos & videos
Fees
£55.00 per session
Additional information
I offer individual therapy with adults aged 18 or over.
I provide online session across the UK and face to face session in Leicester city centre.
I can provide short term or long term therapy.
I work from the Space To Breath Collective for face to face sessions. This is conveniently located in Leicester City Centre giving you access to car parking & cafes in close proximity.
Arrange a free introduction I offer a free 20-minute phone call or online video introduction. This is a chance for you to ask any questions, share a little about what’s bringing you to therapy, and get a feel for how I work, with no pressure or commitment.
Following this, we begin with an initial assessment, this 60-minute session allows us to explore your concerns, therapy goals, and how I can best support you. It’s a chance for us to see if my approach aligns with your needs and to help you decide if therapy with me is the right fit.
Fees Both the initial assessment and ongoing sessions are 60 minutes and charged at £55.
Payment is required prior to each session and can be made via bank transfer or cash.
If you’re interested in working together or would like to ask anything before booking, you’re warmly invited to get in touch.
Email: hello@sofiaeliastheapy.com
When I work
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Availability: In-person sessions on Thursdays (8am–1pm)
Online sessions available throughout the week.
Further information
Therapy with me is a space for curiosity, emotional depth, and honesty. It’s not quick-fix therapy, it’s deep, relational work for people who are ready to explore with intention and courage. This work isn’t always easy, but it can be life-changing. I’ll walk alongside you with steadiness, warmth, and a deep commitment to your process.
