I am a trauma-informed psychodynamic therapist, drawing from Jungian, attachment and mindful, somatic (body-based) models of psychotherapy. Fully accredited by the British Association for Counselling and Psychotherapy, I work online, via Zoom, with individuals and couples throughout the UK.

My practice is LGBTQ+ affirmative and inclusive of clients and relationships across the spectrum of gender, sexuality and relationship diversity.

Whether or not you are clear about your reasons for seeking counselling and psychotherapy, I welcome you to find out more about my practice, and to be in touch with any questions you might have, or to arrange an initial consultation.

Thank you for visiting.

 

About me

I hold a Post-Graduate Diploma in Psychodynamic Psychotherapeutic Counselling, from the University of Brighton, a BACP accredited course of training grounded in psychoanalytic theory.  

I am also an Accredited Sexual Violence Therapist, trained with the London Rape and Sexual Abuse Support Centre, and am certified in working with Couples and other Relationships with The Grove, London.  

I participate in regular Hakomi Mindful Somatic Psychotherapy professional development trainings with the Hakomi Education Network of London, and completed a foundation certification in Jungian Somatics™, a body of work integrating depth-psychological and body psychotherapies.

I have an extensive background of further professional development trainings in working with trauma, and with Gender, Sexuality & Relationship Diversity (GSRD) and LGBTQ+ affirmative practice.

I am a fully accredited member of the British Association for Counselling and Psychotherapy (BACP) and abide by their ethical framework.  

       

Since 2016 I’ve had the privilege of working therapeutically alongside clients from a diversity of backgrounds seeking support in relation to a wide range of issues. Prior to my full-time private-practice, I served as a therapist in specialist sexual violence, community counselling, LGBTQ+ mental health, and university settings.

 

Before training as a therapist, I completed a masters degree in Gender Studies and spent many years in the social justice sector, where I worked in support and community engagement roles with groups and individuals of marginalised identities, advocating for equality in health and social care. An anti-oppression, social justice lens continues as a core thread throughout my work.

 

My first degree in Theology and Religious Studies specialised in the psychology of religion, and set the tone for a lifelong exploration of spirituality in its many forms, especially as it relates to mental and emotional wellbeing. A long-term Buddhist meditation practice deeply informs my therapeutic approach, and I have a particular interest in the integration of Eastern wisdom traditions with Western psychotherapy, as embodied in modalities such as Hakomi, the mindful and somatic approach that informs my work.

 

Perhaps most importantly, I view my own ongoing personal development as fundamental to the quality of my therapeutic work with clients, which is shaped and inspired by my own personal experience of in-depth psychotherapy and a long-term, intensive Jungian analysis.

 

Approach

A psychodynamic and somatic approach recognises that we each possess a rich, complex and unique unconscious life, a life that is deeply interwoven with the body as well as the mind, and that is meaningfully shaped by past experiences. Without our awareness, this inner world powerfully shapes our sense of self, how we relate to others, and our overall felt sense of life and what is possible for us. By shining a light into these hidden places and bringing to consciousness what we find, we can find that we become freer to live with greater choice, empowerment and authenticity in our lives and relationships.

A Jungian approach offers a depth-oriented and non-pathologising stance, holding that we each possess an innate drive towards wholeness, and that even our greatest struggles contain crucial clues towards growth. It centres a respect for the uniqueness of the individual, alongside the healing value of the unconscious, and especially how this can be discovered and unlocked through the symbolism of dreams. 

The psychodynamic fields of object relations and attachment theory offer an additional set of lenses, bringing attention to the ways in which our core blueprints for relationship, laid down in our early years, shape our present styles of relating – to ourselves, the world around us and others. 

Underpinning these approaches is an awareness of trauma in its many dimensions; whether related to single or repeated events, or the trauma that results from ongoing, cumulative stress and difficulties in relationships, particularly those with caregivers during our formative years. Drawing from somatic psychology and polyvagal theory, I understand and work with trauma as it is held in the body and nervous system, using a gentle, supportive and psychoeducative approach that moves at your body’s pace.

My practice is LGBTQ+ affirmative, and inclusive of clients across the spectrum of gender, sexuality and relationship diversity. My approach is culturally sensitive, and I bring an awareness of the societal and structural – as well as individual – conditions involved in emotional, mental health and relationship difficulties.  

Individual therapy

Regular sessions provide a reflective, confidential space for self-exploration and support, in which to look together at any areas of concern to you. As we begin to make sense of troubling, confusing or conflicting feelings and experiences, it can become possible to discover greater ease, choice and fulfillment in the present.  

Therapy involves a joint inquiry into the underlying beliefs and automatic ways of being and seeing that we carry. Together we work collaboratively and at your pace to explore the roots of present issues and to move towards greater clarity in relation to areas of difficulty.

The exploration of familiar dynamics in relationships, dreams and mindful exploration of the felt-sense in the body all provide valuable doorways into understanding your inner world, and beginning to relate to it in a more helpful, compassionate way, that supports your growth and healing.

These sessions are yours, a space for you to be as you are. It’s my intention to create an environment that is safe, accepting and open in which you can speak freely about how things are for you and feel seen, heard and responded to. While I will offer reflections, questions and perspectives that I hope may be valuable, I am non-directive, and my aim is to help you to connect with your own inner knowing. It is what you choose to bring to each session that will guide the focus of our work. 

As well as being a way of supporting areas of pain and struggle in our lives, therapy also aims to help us live more fully, in a greater sense of aliveness, authenticity and connection. I view the therapeutic relationship itself as central to the transformative process that therapy can be. Over time, the building of a reliable, trusting therapeutic relationship becomes the container in which a deeper healing can occur.

Couples therapy

Couples seek out therapy for a wide range of reasons: To get unstuck from limiting or destructive patterns and dynamics. To build greater emotional and sexual intimacy and trust. To navigate a change in relationship style or circumstances. And generally to learn how to better love one another.

It is normal to face difficulty and struggle in intimate relationships. The myth that relationships should be easy and able to be navigated without outside support can make the decision to access couples counselling a difficult one, and you don’t need to reach crisis point to seek guidance.

In fact, it is often the places we struggle most in our partnerships that offer the greatest potential for growth and transformation. With work, tending to your relationship can transform it from a place of frustration and difficulty to a source of growth, fulfilment and true intimacy.

My Approach

I use a reflective and active approach that focuses as much on the ‘how’ of your interactions as a couple as it does upon the topics you bring to sessions. My aim is to support you in learning to better hear and attune to one another, to build towards deeper levels of mutual understanding, and to develop skills to communicate more authentically and effectively. 

My way of working brings attention to the unconscious dynamics and attachment patterns that underlie places of stuckness and difficulty, to understand the unmet needs and feelings that lie beneath the surface ‘story’. Woven into this is a somatic, trauma-informed approach, offering specific tools and skills for re-finding a sense of safety and balance in the midst of emotionally challenging conversations.

Who I work with

I work affirmatively with all relationships across the spectrum of gender, sexuality and relationship diversity, whether heterosexual or LGBTQ+, monogamous or non-monogamous. I work with couples at all stages of relationship, whether this means deepening into commitment, navigating a change in relationship style or status, or uncoupling.

Sessions

I offer weekly sessions online, via Zoom. 

Sessions for both individual and couple sessions are 50 minutes, held at the same agreed time each week. 

When we meet, we can decide together whether you would like to work in a fixed number of sessions (a minimum of 6), or open-endedly.

Fees

Individuals: £70-85 (initial consultation: £75)

Couples: £110-125 (initial consultation: £115)

What to expect

Once you have been in touch, I will let you know about the spaces I have available and, if any of these are suitable, we can then arrange an initial consultation. 

I will provide a copy of my therapeutic agreement for you to review in advance of our first session, which outlines the terms of the therapeutic contract, including around confidentiality and my policy on cancellations.

The initial consultation is an opportunity for us to meet, discuss your hopes for therapy and get a sense of what working together in a therapeutic relationship might be like. It’s also an opportunity for me to understand what you are looking for through therapy and if this is something I am able to support you with.

There is no expectation that you begin therapy with me after the initial session, and you are very welcome to take time to reflect and consider whether you would like to work together. 

Contact

 

I recognise that there can be a lot to consider when beginning therapy and welcome any questions you may have prior to arranging an initial consultation. 

Please be in touch via email at contact@sophiebarnestherapy.co.uk  – My practice days are Monday to Thursday.