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About me
I am a Cognitive Behavioural Psychotherapist with thirteen years’ experience of working within the NHS and privately. 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). The therapy I offer is evidence-based and consistent with NICE guidelines (National Institute for Health and Care Excellence). This means that it has been shown to be effective in the treatment of particular psychological difficulties.
I work with clients with a wide range of difficulties including the following: depression, generalized anxiety disorder (GAD), panic disorder, social phobia, specific phobia, post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), health anxiety, obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD), low self-esteem, stress, insomnia and anger.
Experience
Over the past thirteen years I have worked in a number of NHS mental health services across London providing CBT, both in groups and individually, to clients with a broad range of difficulties. I have worked in several IAPT (Improving Access to Psychological Therapy) services including a psychological therapies service at the Maudsley Hospital, a clinical institution renowned for excellent standards of care. I have also worked for one of the leading private mental health hospitals in central London. The high quality supervision and training I have experienced throughout my career have been instrumental in my development as a practitioner. I am committed to evidence-based practice and always strive to deliver effective therapy and high standards of care.
I completed my CBT training at the Institute of Psychiatry where I was fortunate to be taught by leading experts in the field. Prior to this, I trained in ‘Low Intensity’ CBT at the University of Surrey.
As a therapist, I am passionate about what I do and the cognitive-behavioural approach. I enjoy working collaboratively with clients, developing a joint understanding of their difficulties and tailoring treatment plans to the individual. Clients often feedback that I come across as warm and kind which helps them to feel at ease early on in therapy.
Qualifications
Postgraduate Diploma in CBT
Postgraduate Certificate in Low Intensity Psychological Interventions
Postgraduate Conversion Diploma in Psychology
BA in Modern Languages
BABCP accredited
What is Cognitive Behaviour Therapy?
CBT is based on the premise that our thoughts influence our feelings. Our perception of events, of ourselves, others and the world around us will play a crucial role in determining how we feel emotionally. A second key principle in CBT is that our thoughts, feelings, behaviours and physiology are interconnected and therefore all influence one another. What this means is that people can sometimes get stuck in unhelpful cycles of thinking negatively and can engage in unhelpful behaviours which can then perpetuate a person’s difficulties. A pivotal part of cognitive-behavioural treatment involves developing a shared understanding of what these vicious cycles are and the aim of treatment is to break or reverse these using various strategies.
As an approach, CBT is time-limited, structured and focused. It is an active psychological treatment which focuses predominantly on the here and now.
One of the benefits of CBT is that it enables people to become their own therapists. People acquire knowledge and skills that they can take away and continue to use both now and in the future.
Sessions & Fees
A course of CBT can range from 6 to 20 sessions depending on the nature of a person’s difficulties. On average, I tend to see clients for 10 to 12 sessions, but people respond to therapy at different rates. Sessions are 50 minutes long. The first session is an assessment appointment 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.
Availability: I offer early morning, daytime and evening appointments.
Cancellations: I have a 24 hour cancellation policy.
Skype and telephone sessions: I am able to provide sessions via Skype and on the phone.
Fees
I charge £90.00 per session.
Contact Me
Phone number: 07415 825 857
Email address: enquiry@sophieleather.com
Enquiries
Locations
I am based at the following two locations:
335 City Road, London, EC1V 1LJ
Barnsbury Therapy Rooms, 144 Liverpool Road, Islington, London, N1 1LA
