My therapeutic approach
We don't just think our emotions. We feel them.
When we experience anxiety, we don't simply think we're anxious, we feel it in our bodies. It might be a racing heart, a knot in our stomach or a tightness in our chest. Equally, when we love someone, we don't just think about that love, we experience it through feelings of warmth, connection and the comfort of being close to someone who matters to us.
Our thoughts, feelings, behaviours and physical responses are all interconnected, and our experiences can shape how our nervous system responds to the world around us, sometimes long after those experiences have passed. This is why we can consciously know that we're safe, but still experience physical or emotional responses that suggest otherwise.
As an integrative counsellor, I draw on person-centred, psychodynamic, Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT) and Gestalt approaches, alongside clinical hypnotherapy, Eye Movement Desensitisation and Reprocessing (EMDR), Neuro-Linguistic Programming (NLP) and an understanding of the nervous system. This allows me to tailor our work to you as an individual, recognising that no two people have the same experiences or respond to life's challenges in quite the same way.
Working With Me
Your experience. Your needs. Your pace.
I understand that reaching out for therapy isn't always easy, particularly when you're already feeling anxious, overwhelmed or exhausted by your own thoughts. You might find yourself going over conversations again and again, worrying about things that haven't happened yet or questioning whether you're making too much of how you're feeling. Even making that first appointment can become something you overthink, especially if you're used to putting everybody else's needs before your own.
You might also be wondering what you'll say when you get here, whether you'll be able to explain how you're feeling or whether I'll understand what you're trying to tell me. Sometimes it's difficult to put things into words, particularly when you've spent so long trying to make sense of everything yourself, and I want you to know that you don't have to work all of that out before we meet.
Our first session is an opportunity for us to get to know each other, to talk about what's been happening in your life and to begin understanding what has brought you to therapy. There won't be any expectation for you to tell me your whole life story or share things you're not comfortable talking about, and if you find yourself saying, "I don't know," that's absolutely fine too. We can take our time and work things out together.
Some sessions might involve talking about experiences from your past and how they continue to influence your life today, while others might focus on something that's happened during your week or a feeling you've been struggling to understand. There may be times when we laugh together, times when things feel emotional and times when you simply need someone to listen without judgement or expectation.
I don't believe in deciding how many sessions somebody needs before we've even begun, and I certainly don't expect you to make progress according to somebody else's timetable. We'll work at a pace that feels comfortable for you, taking time to understand what's happening beneath the surface rather than putting pressure on you to change before you're ready.
Above all, I want you to feel comfortable being yourself, knowing that you don't have to say the right thing, have everything figured out or worry about how you're coming across. Therapy is a space where, for once, you don't have to carry everything on your own.
Individual therapy is available in person in Leamington Spa and online across the UK, subject to suitability.
Your therapy, your way.
Therapy is about you, your experiences and what matters most to you. There is no set agenda or expectation of what you should explore, and you won't be told what to think, feel or do. Instead, you'll have the space to explore your thoughts and feelings, consider different perspectives and discover your own answers, with support and understanding along the way.
You are the expert on your own life. My role is to listen, offer gentle guidance when helpful and support you in finding a way forward that feels right for you.
Let's start a conversation
You don't need to have everything figured out before reaching out.
Whether you're seeking support for yourself or exploring individual therapeutic and personal development services for your organisation, the first step is simply having a conversation about what you're experiencing and what support might be helpful.
Get in touch to explore how we can work together.
📞 Telephone: 07464 001551
🟢 WhatsApp: 07464 001551
✉️ Email: sophie@bigpicturelab.co.uk
Professional Qualifications & Training
Sophie Snell
D.M.H., D.Hyp., CPNLP, EMDR, GQHP, Prof. Dip Psy C, M.N.C.P.S. (Acc.)
Accredited member of the National Counselling and Psychotherapy Society (NCPS) and registered with the General Hypnotherapy Register (GHR).
My qualifications and professional training reflect an integrative, nervous system informed approach to therapy, recognising the close relationship between our thoughts, emotions, physical responses and lived experiences.
Qualifications & Specialist Training
· Diploma in Psychotherapeutic Counselling Practice
· Diploma in Clinical Hypnotherapy
· Diploma in Parts Therapy
· Diploma in Smoking Cessation
· Diploma in Weight Management
· Diploma in Neuro-Linguistic Programming (NLP)
· Diploma in Transformational and Heart-Based Practices
· EMDR Practitioner
· Reiki Master
· NEBOSH National General Certificate in Occupational Health and Safety