Dr Sonia Ahmed
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This professional is available for new clients.
This professional is available for new clients.
About me
Hi I am Dr Sonia Ahmed, a chartered counselling psychologist with over 12 years of clinical experience, who is registered with the Health and Care Professionals Council (HCPC).
I believe that each persons experience is individual and unique, and that there is not a ‘one size fits all’ when it comes to therapy. Therefore my therapeutic approach takes on an integrative stance, in which I will often draw upon a number of therapeutic models and techniques, tailored to each individuals needs. Regardless of your treatment plan, developing a strong therapeutic relationship, will be the core of therapy. This means that sessions will be based on empathy, trust, warmth, non judgmental and compassion, whilst being adaptive to each of your needs.
I take a trauma-informed approach to your psychological care. A trauma informed approach to therapy is a set of guiding principles that identifies that trauma has substantial effects on individuals and tends not be recognised or reported as often as it should. It shifts from asking ‘what’s wrong with you?’ to ‘what happened to you?’This means that we take into account all of your traumas (past and present) in order to get a complete picture of your life situation, thus, allowing us to be able to provide you with the most effective support.
We have all experienced trauma of some sort in our lives. Whether it be something that we are aware of (or have consciously thought about), or not. For example, witnessing or being a part of some form of abuse, accidents, assaults, natural disasters, cultural traumas such as forced marriage. Often these traumatic experiences can be the underlying cause (or at least a contributing factor), to various mental health issues, such as depression, anxiety, relationship issues, and addiction, amongst others. Sometimes we can be oblivious to how past traumas can be affecting our current lives, but by processing and resolving these past issues, deep and long-lasting change is possible.
Training, qualifications & experience
I have been practising as a qualified psychological therapist since 2012 and went on to qualify and practice as a counselling psychologist in 2021. I am also an EMDR trained therapist, which is a well known therapy for trauma.
I have significant experience of working with a range of issues and difficulties, varying from day to day stress to severe mental health issues. These include, but are not limited to, anxiety, depression, stress, grief and loss, relationship issues, amongst others.
I specialise in working with trauma and PTSD presentations. These can include post-traumatic stress disorder from single event traumas, complex trauma, and developmental trauma. This also includes issues such as depression, anxiety, and relationship issues, which are often a result of unprocessed trauma. Furthermore, I have wide experience of working with the kind of complex trauma that can result from neglect and abuse in childhood or adulthood. Nightmares can be a common cause of unprocessed trauma. As well as EMDR, I am trained in the dream completion technique which has been clinically proven to combat nightmares as part of your trauma therapy.
Qualifications:
- PsychD Counselling Psychology - 2021
- BSc Psychology - 2011
Additional Training:
- EMDR - 2023
- Flash technique for trauma - 2022
- Dream completion technique for nightmares - 2022
- Person-centered Counselling for Depression – 2021
- Couples Counselling – 2019
- CBT for Major Depression – 2018
- Working with childhood sexual abuse – 2018
- PTSD & Complex Trauma – 2018
- Mindfulness, Acceptance & Commitment Therapy – 2018
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.
The HCPC are an independent, UK-wide health regulator. They set standards of professional training, performance and conduct for 16 professions.
They keep a register of health professionals who meet their standards, and they take action if registered health professionals fall below those standards. They were created by a piece of legislation called the Health Professions Order 2001.
Registration means that a health professional meets national standards for their professional training, performance and conduct.
Areas of counselling I deal with
Therapies offered
Photos & videos
Fees
£110.00 - £150.00
Free initial telephone session
Health Insurance/EAP
Additional information
£110 for individual therapy (50 minutes per session)
£160 for EMDR therapy (90 minutes per session)
Sessions can be held online via video call or face to face
Face to face sessions are provided in Sunderland SR6 with free parking and a 5 minute walk from the nearest metro station.
When I work
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Further information
If you would like to get in contact feel free to send me an email, or leave me a voicemail or text on whatsapp, and I will reply to you to arrange a free 10 minute introductory call. If you are happy to go ahead, I will then email you all the relevant information, including the therapy contract, and we will then book your first session.
