Sonia Lucas
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This professional is available for new clients.
This professional is available for new clients.
About me
Hello, I am Sonia. I am a qualified Psychotherapeutic Therapist and an Emotional Freedom Technique and Disordered Eating therapist.
I am experienced in working with a spectrum of concerns from the past to present, encompassing problematic areas such as disordered eating, depression and anxiety, low self esteem and confidence issues. As a an integrative therapist I have supported clients navigating cancer, grief and loss, anger, affairs and betrayal, adoption and relationship issues, abuse and trauma. Additionally, I offer therapeutic support to women struggling with endometriosis, peri-menopause and menopause and the complexities associated with these conditions and life changes.
My approach is centred around each person and their individual needs. I use a blend of modalities from the Person Centred and Psychodynamic schools of thought to Existential perspectives. Elements of tapping or Emotional Freedom Techniques (EFT) and CBT are also incorporated where beneficial.
During our lifetime we will undoubtedly face emotional challenges unique and personal to each of us. These challenges may have roots from our childhood or adolescence connecting us to the here and now. When facing challenging times we often find that we feel great overwhelm. While it is true that life can be tough at times, having a calmer mind can help us navigate through difficult situations by allowing us to be more aware of our emotions and thought processes. This awareness can help us identify negative patterns of thinking and behaviour and take steps to change them. As we all have an inherent ability to internalise difficult experiences and try to cope alone, we can often find that we struggle to make sense of why we think or behave in the way we do and this can lead us to feel lost at certain times, feeling unable to ask for help.
Taking the initial steps in acknowledging how you are feeling and coping can seem overwhelming as can seeking support. However, given the time that is essential for you you will hopefully discover how immensely empowering and rewarding the experience of therapy can be. The relationship between counsellor and client(s) provides the foundation to explore, understand, challenge and change patterns of behaviour which may be at the root of difficulties and distress.
Counselling can offer you the opportunity to talk about past and present issues; you may recognise concerns within particular relationships, how you manage your emotions or notice particular patterns of unhelpful behaviours or coping mechanisms. Therapy can facilitate change in allowing time and space to gain an understanding of what you need.
I follow the BACP code of ethics and adhere to the belief that the counselling relationship is based on a mutual respect with emphasis on a positive regard for the client's needs, trust, growth and change, in a safe and confidential space. What I aim to offer you through counselling is a non-directive approach in looking at your life, applying changes to help you move forward to experience the life you deserve to live.
Training, qualifications & experience
Experience and Background:
For over 18 years I have worked as an Integrative Therapist with adults, adolescents and children in clinical settings, local government and educational organisations setting up and delivering group therapy programmes, group and individual supervision and group and one to one therapy. Alongside this experience I also worked with a national charity counselling people living with trauma, specifically after sexual abuse and rape and a homelessness prevention charity running supportive courses. Now, I focus solely on my private practice with adult clients.
My experience as a psychotherapeutic counsellor also included working as a supervisor within a Tier 2 local authority counselling service assessing and supporting clients with mild to moderate mental health concerns. In 2015 I completed a PGDip with a focus on the emerging research and relevance of neuroscience in therapy.
In 2019 I undertook specialist training in Emotional Freedom Technique and in addition to EFT I have also undertaken training in a number of clinical training programmes including CBT.
Sessions are centred around individual needs incorporating a blend of traditional and newer modalities including Person Centred and Psychodynamic/Existential perspectives to Emotional Freedom Technique (EFT) and Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT).
My approach to counselling is holistic; I listen to your unique life story, adapting and tailoring particular tools to accompany the work best suited for you. My primary concern is to help each person feel seen and heard and to help support a positive move towards taking better control of your life.
Further training also includes:
- emotional and behavioural problems
- autistic spectrum disorder; diagnosed and undiagnosed
- adoption (this is specialised work closely supported by an expert Adoption Supervisor)
- disordered eating
- bereavement and loss
- psychosomatic illness
- cancer support
- depression
- anxiety
- attachment
- low self-esteem
- abuse (physical, emotional and sexual) and mild to moderate addictions.
Qualifications:
- BSc (Hons) Top-Up Counselling
- PGDip in Integrative Psychotherapeutic Counselling
- PGDip in Adolescent Therapy
- Dip in Clinical Supervision
- BSc Psychotherapeutic Counselling
- Cert in CBT
- Cert Counselling and Psychotherapy
- EFT Level 1&2
I have regular clinical supervision to support all client work with a qualified supervisor.
CPD Training in:
- Depression and Anxiety
- Bereavement, Grief and Loss
- Autism Spectrum Disorder - ASD
- Dementia and Family/Carers
- Disordered Eating
- Sexual Abuse and Trauma in Adults
- Trauma and Somatic Illness
- Safeguarding and Child Protection
- Addictions
- Mindfulness
- Trauma & Attachment
- EMDR and PTSD
- Adoption
- Amygdala and Trauma Response
- Emotional Freedom Technique (EFT)
- Gestalt
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
Fees
£50.00 per session
Free initial telephone or online session
Additional information
Sessions: £50 per 50 minute session - Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday.
When I work
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Further information
You may feel there is something more personal and specific to you that is not addressed or noted. I am happy to discuss any areas of concern and, if I am not the right counsellor, there may be a fellow professional I can refer you to for support and guidance.
