Sonia Lucas
Verified Professional
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(MBACP) Counsellor, Disordered Eating & EFT Therapist
Every professional displayed on Counselling Directory has been independently verified by our team to ensure they have suitable credentials to practise.
About me
I am a qualified and experienced Therapeutic Counsellor in Woking.
I offer a confidential space to support adults experiencing a broad range of problems from depression and anxiety, grief and loss, disordered eating, relationship issues, abuse and trauma to women's health with peri-menopause and menopause.
Being human, with all the struggles it can bring in navigating life, can be a challenge and hard to make sense of at the best of times. You might recognise that you have found yourself at a point in your life where you feel lost and need support. Taking initial steps in acknowledging how you are feeling and coping can seem overwhelming but, given time, it can also be immensely empowering and rewarding.
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.
Working through connections to the roots of difficult patterns of thoughts and behaviours can help to facilitate change by allowing time and space to gain an understanding as to why you may be experiencing present difficulties.
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:
Over the last 15 years I have worked as an Integrative Counsellor in private practice.
Following my professional training as a Psychotherapeutic Counsellor, I worked for a counselling practice within their Tier 2 service assessing and supporting clients with mild to moderate mental health issues. In 2015 I completed a PGDip with a focus on the emerging relevance and connection of neuroscience in therapy. From that training I developed an interest in trauma, and in particular the idea of stored trauma in the body, and the connection to psychosomatic illness; physical illness/disorders linked to stressful and traumatic emotional experience. I often witness the impact of upsetting events on psychological and physical health. This led me to follow an interest in Emotional Freedom Technique where I engaged in ongoing practitioner training, early 2019. I have also completed a number of clinical CPD training courses, including CBT with Heart, with Dr Adrian Hemmings, Clinical Psychologist.
My approach to counselling would be described as holistic, meaning that it helps clients to heal by taking the entire human being, you, and your life experience, into consideration. My focus is to adapt and tailor particular models of therapy to accompany our work. I use a blend of theories and, where appropriate, some strategies from Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT).
My experience in counselling supports areas of, but not limited to:
- 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:
- PGDip in Integrative Psychotherapeutic Counselling
- PGDip in Adolescent Therapy
- Dip in Clinical Supervision
- Cert in CBT
- Cert Counselling and Psychotherapy
- EFT Level 1&2
I have regular clinical supervision to support all client work.
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
British Association for Counselling & Psychotherapy (BACP)
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
Accredited Register Scheme
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 session
Additional information
Woking:
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.
