Sophia Armstrong
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This professional is accepting new clients but may have a waitlist. Please enquire with them directly to discuss availability.
This professional is accepting new clients but may have a waitlist. Please enquire with them directly to discuss availability.
About me
Struggling to make sense of things or finding it difficult to cope?
Counselling can help you come to terms with things, and make real changes in your life. You may find it useful to come and talk if you are dealing with difficult emotional issues, relationship difficulties, or specific psychological or mental health problems. I provide a warm, supportive environment which is non-judgmental, safe and confidential.
My approach is to work together with you to explore your issues and find some kind of resolution. This may involve building confidence or motivation, or feeling more fulfilled or happy in life. For others, it could mean trying to come to terms with a difficult situation. Counselling can also assist with communication or focus in an aspect of your life.
I am an accredited integrative psychotherapist which means I combine different approaches in therapy so that it can be tailored to your particular needs. I feel therapy provides a supportive space where you can feel listened to and explore what is going on without judgment. The relationship between counsellor and client can help to build on those internal resources which I believe everyone has. In times of difficulty, it can help to talk to someone that you can trust to assist in finding those strengths within yourself in order to develop or change.
I offer a confidential service for individual face to face counselling for anyone aged 16+. I also offer video call and telephone counselling.
Training, qualifications & experience
I am fully qualified and a MBACP accredited member of BACP (British Association of Counselling & Psychotherapy). I am bound by their ethical code of conduct.
My qualifications are:
- MA Integrative Counselling and Psychotherapy - University of Roehampton
- Transactional Analysis 101 - Peter Symonds Adult Education, Winchester
- Level 3 certificate - Counselling skills - Peter Symonds Adult Education, Winchester
- Level 2 - Introduction to counselling skills - Peter Symonds Adult Education, Winchester
I also regularly attend day and weekend training courses in specialist therapy subjects for my continued professional development.
I have worked in various charities as a counsellor. As well as working as a counsellor in general counselling services, I have also worked with specific groups including at Age Concern Hampshire providing counselling for those with Alzheimers or Dementia and also for people caring for individuals with these conditions. I have worked at Yellow Door in Southampton which provides therapy services for those who have suffered from sexual abuse.
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
Fees
£65.00 - £70.00
Free initial telephone session
Additional information
I charge £65 for a 60 minute session during the day and £70.00 for an evening appt.
If you decide that you would like to see me, then we will arrange a short telephone consultation which is free. The next step is an initial session which would be charged at my standard rate. This first session will give you an idea of how I work and enable you to explore what it is that you might want from counselling and to work out if I am the right service for you.
Sessions usually take place on a weekly basis. I work on an open-ended basis and offer short-term (limited number of sessions) and long-term work (which can be reviewed as the work progresses) according to your needs.
When I work
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In the current climate, I am offering remote options via zoom and telephone as well as continuing face to face appointments. I also offer walk and talk therapy sessions.
Further information
Step by step guide to starting counselling with me:
- Contact me either by email or telephone.
- We will arrange a time to have a short telephone consultation to discuss what you are looking for and decide together whether I sound like the right type of therapist for you
- If you decide to come to see me, we will arrange a first session. Before you come to see me, I will send you more information about my practice, information about how I store personal data and a map.
- This session will give you an opportunity to get to know how I work and I will be able to find out more about why you have decided to come to counselling at this time. This session will cost 50.00 payable by cash, cheque or BACS by the end of the session.
- At the end of this first session, if you decide to continue with the counselling, I will send you a working agreement. Sessions will take place weekly on the same day and time as your initial session.
- I have a cancellation policy if you are unable to attend a session and this will be explained when I meet you.
Please ask if you have any further questions.
