Sonia Lee

Monday early evening, Tuesday and Wednesday, daytime and early evening

It is not always easy to work through difficulties on your own, having someone to talk things through with can make a difference. I can help you to understand what is happening and to work out how you’d like to respond to challenges you are facing. Counselling helps us to pause and reflect, to see more clearly and find a way forward, and to delve deeply into how we are and the patterns that are repeating in our lives. I offer a safe, comfortable and welcoming environment.

Counselling is a confidential, non-judgemental space. It is a space to talk, to be yourself, to work through problems and concerns you have, or to just be, without any judgement. It is like pressing the pause button on every day life, and taking the time to reflect and process what is happening.

Counselling works best when the relationship feels safe, respectful, curious, encouraging – finding someone you feel comfortable with is the most important first step.

Alongside private practice, I work at a University with students and for the NHS Primary Care Network and a school (both through a charity) with school age children and young adults. I run a busy private practice in Calstock, east Cornwall, where young people from age 12 upwards and all adult ages are welcome.

I have worked for many years with clients who experience anxiety, depression, chronic stress, who are self-harming or thinking about suicide, have addictions, are diagnosed with dissociative disorders, complex developmental trauma, post traumatic stress disorder, clients who have experienced childhood abuse and neglect, or who are grieving or experiencing complex grief.

I have an advanced diploma in Counselling, am a certified Clinical and Complex Trauma Professional, level 1 & 2, and a trained mindfulness teacher. I have worked as a therapist since 2007. I have also engaged in my own psychotherapy for over 20 years, and know this to be essential if offering the work. 

Counselling helps clients to find their own way forward, to discover their own solutions and strengths. It isn’t for the counsellor to provide advice and direction but to facilitate the process of enquiry into what is happening in thoughts, emotions and actions. As such, it is a very personal process, and a unique one for each client.

Counselling can involve talking about painful experiences and emotions, confusing situations and difficult decisions, and sometimes overwhelming events. It is important we work at a slow and steady pace, to gently feel our way through what the impact is on you and discover what you need to feel more steady in yourself.

I bring experience and understanding of encouraging mindful awareness, to look more deeply at how you are responding in relationships, how you think about what is happening, what feelings keep arising for you and how these processes relate to your past and can keep you stuck. If we slow down and bring mindful awareness to what is happening and how we ‘do ourselves’, we begin to see more choices and to live life more in tune with our core values.

Counselling sessions can include talking, drawing, sand tray, ‘listening’ to the inside of your body, movement and mindfulness practice, resting – together we can find out what works best for you.

I offer a free initial consultation. This is usually online and lasts for 30 to 40 minutes. It is important to find the right person, someone who you feel you can work with, and this is an opportunity for you to decide whether working with me feels right to you. Feel free to ask any questions. I will ask what brings you to counselling and what you need or hope to gain from counselling sessions. You are welcome to take some time after this meeting, to think about what you would like to do next.

If you would like to continue, we usually arrange to meet once a week. This can be at a fixed time each week, or if work or other commitments don’t allow this, I can be flexible. I offer sessions face to face and online if you prefer.