Sophia Shepherd

Welcome and thank you for choosing my page. If you are considering counselling then you are taking the first steps to change your life and I hope I can help you in your journey.

Why seek counselling?

It can be a challenge to deal with life's ups and downs which can often leave us feeling worse for wear and you may find yourself saying "its just one thing after another"! You may feel that you are struggling  to manage, notice yourself becoming more irritated, annoyed, frustrated and angry with yourself, your children, partner, work colleagues and others around you. Perhaps you are becoming more upset, hopeless and depressed, no longer enjoying things as you used to and feel that no-one understands you. If this is the case you may find it helpful to start to talk to someone about what is going on for you.

Why come to see me?

People come to see me for all sorts of reasons. Some people come because they would like a short course of therapy to help them deal practically with what is bothering them, others come because they are looking for something longer term that will address issues that have been troubling them for a long time. Sometimes people struggle to put into words quite what the problem is. Whatever the issue, my approach is to gently help you think about where you are in life, how you got to this point and how you can move forward in a way that works for you. Ultimately people tend to want better relationships with their partners, families, friends and to feel less distressed, annoyed, angry and disappointed in themselves.

What you can expect?

If you decide to work with me I will provide a safe, non-judgmental space and take a calm, open minded approach. I will be interested in patterns you may have noticed and will think with you about how they may have developed. I can help you think about strategies to cope, as well as exploring what seems to be underlying the problem.

My experience

I am a registered counsellor and hold and accredited certificate as a Behavioural and Cognitive Psychotherapist in Cognitive Behaviour Therapy (CBT). I have a broad range of experience including working with people who have depression including low self esteem, low motivation, low confidence and anger problems; anxiety disorders such general anxiety, social anxiety, health worries, panic and obsessive compulsive disorder (OCD). I have worked with people who self harm and have suicidal thoughts as well as people who have addictions. I have worked with people who have experienced trauma including sexual abuse, domestic violence and post traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). I have experience working with people who have Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) and Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD). I also have experience working within complex family dynamics and relationship difficulties.

I offer a range of therapeutic approaches depending on your individual needs. My main approaches are Psychodynamic Theory, Person Centred Theory, Systemic Perspectives and Cognitive Behaviour Therapy (CBT) and I often combine them in order to fully support you.

Starting from £70 per 50 minute session

Concessions available for counselling students and those on low incomes dependent on availability 

I have an up to date DBS record and continually keep this updated on a yearly basis. I adhere to my code of ethics with both the BACP and BABCP and keep myself clinically and professionally relevant in relation to attending workshops and further trainings.