Sophie Leather


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This professional is available for new clients.
This professional is available for new clients.
About me
My training and therapeutic style:
I am a Cognitive Behavioural Psychotherapist with fourteen years’ experience of working within the NHS and in private practice. I trained at the Institute of Psychiatry, King’s College London, a leading institution worldwide for clinical research and training in psychology and psychiatry. I am fully accredited by the British Association for Behavioural and Cognitive Psychotherapists (BABCP). This the gold standard in CBT and signifies a high level of training and clinical expertise.
In addition to my clinical knowledge and experience I aspire to bring a blend of empathy, warmth and compassion to my therapeutic work. One of the many misconceptions about CBT is that it is a cold, mechanical and directive approach. I could not disagree more. In fact, I pride myself on providing therapy that is quite the opposite. For me, all therapy including CBT relies first and foremost on a strong therapeutic relationship. It is the quality of this bond that enables two people to work well together, collaboratively. Therapy is an intimate process; it requires opening oneself up and sharing one’s innermost thoughts and feelings. This requires trust, care, compassion, honesty and respect, which are the values that define my relationships with clients.
I am passionate about CBT for many reasons, but largely because I see how effective it can be. It helps people make sense of their difficulties, which not only normalises and validates people’s experiences, but restores hope. As difficulties become clearer so do solutions. In my view, one of the greatest benefits of CBT is that it teaches people invaluable skills for taking care of their emotional wellbeing, skills that I wish we were all taught routinely because they cultivate resilience. Life can be tough, our modern world can be incredibly demanding and stressful, but if we can arm ourselves with the appropriate skills and knowledge, we can be better placed to respond to life’s inevitable challenges in helpful ways.
I help people with a wide range of difficulties which I have identified in the following section, but I specialise in helping clients with anxiety and depression.
My approach:
As a CBT Therapist I have the privilege of being able to draw upon an extensive body of scientific research to guide my therapeutic approach; an approach which always prioritises clients’ individual circumstances, needs, values and goals. I provide traditional CBT and ‘third wave’ CBT approaches including Acceptance and Commitment Therapy, Compassion-Focused Therapy and Mindfulness. One of the main benefits of being able to integrate these approaches into my practice is that it allows me to adapt therapy to an individual’s needs.
A final note:
Starting therapy is an act of courage. It can feel daunting and evoke feelings of vulnerability. Please feel free to give me a call to discuss your needs and ask me any questions. Finding the right person to work with can feel like finding a needle in a haystack, but it is helpful to know as much as you can about your therapist and their practice before you begin, if only to get a feel for them as a person.
Training, qualifications & experience
Qualifications:
- Postgraduate Diploma (PGDip) in Cognitive and Behavioural Psychotherapies
- Postgraduate Certificate (PGCert) in Low Intensity Psychological Interventions
- Postgraduate Conversion Diploma (PGDip) in Psychology
- Bachelor of Arts (BA) in French and Spanish
- BABCP full accreditation
Experience:
I have a wealth of experience in a number of different mental health settings. Most recently I have been working in Australia as a clinical supervisor for Low Intensity CBT practitioners. Prior to this, for several years, I worked for as an independent practitioner in private practice in North London. For over ten years I worked in NHS mental health services across various parts of London providing CBT, both in groups and individually, to clients with a broad range of psychological difficulties. I have also worked for one of the leading private mental health hospitals in central London.
Member organisations
school Registered / Accredited
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 BABCP is the lead organisation for Cognitive Behavioural Therapy in the UK. Membership is open to anyone with an interest in the practice, theory or development of CBT. BABCP also provides accreditation for CBT therapists. BABCP accredited members adhere to the Standards of Conduct, Performance and Ethics in the Practice of Behavioural and Cognitive Psychotherapies, and are willing to be scrutinised in this adherence as required.
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
£90.00 per session
Concessions offered for
Health Insurance/EAP
Additional information
I offer a free 15 minute telephone consultation to see if CBT is suitable to your needs and whether you feel we are a good fit.
Sessions are 50 minutes long. The first session is an assessment during which a person’s difficulties and their goals for therapy are discussed in detail. If at this point CBT does not seem suitable another form of therapy may be recommended. Please feel free to contact me by phone or email if you have any questions.
Fees: I charge £90.00 per session.
Private health insurance: I am registered with AXA PPP, WPA, Vitality and Aviva. I am currently in the process of registering with the main private health insurance companies. Please check with me directly.
Concessions: I offer concession rates. Please enquire with me directly about these.
When I work
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