About Me

Sonya Black

I’ve spent over 20 years working as a Psychotherapist and Coach, supporting people through anxiety, trauma and life’s toughest transitions to create the life they want.

I’m passionate about making therapy and coaching feel real, practical, human. I offer a straight talking, practical yet compassionate approach, but my real focus is on you, who you are and what you need. Therapy and coaching can be transformative and I want to show you how, so you can live the life you want.

My approach comes from a deep belief that we all have the power to change, to overcome and transcend difficult things, even when it feels impossible. Psychology doesn’t just belong in books, podcasts and social media. It belongs in real, everyday life - in our relationships, in the way we handle challenges, in how we see ourselves, so we can show up in our life and for the people around us.

I built my business not just to do the work I love, but to create a life that fits around family and our life. For me, CBT isn’t only a therapy model - it’s a way of living, a framework that helps us meet challenges, find resilience and move towards the life we truly want.

My career has taken me across the NHS, the charity sector, and one of the UK’s leading private hospitals, experiences that gave me the privilege of working with people from all walks of life. I have worked as an Associate Lecturer on an MSc course. With an established private practice since 2019, I have been fortunate to work with people across the UK, in person and online, on a range of life’s challenges ranging from Depressive and Anxiety Disorders through to Trauma, PTSD, complex Trauma, relationships, work and life stress and burnout.

Training has always been a cornerstone of my practice. After completing an MSc in CBT, I went on to a Postgraduate Diploma at the Institute of Psychiatry, where I was fortunate to train under some of the world’s leading CBT therapists. I later added Compassion Focused Therapy, Mindfulness, EMDR and Family Mediation. Specialist interests and training in Trauma, perinatal, relationships.

My work has increasingly involved women’s health issues and an opportunity became available to work within the NHS in a Trauma Service for Peri-Natal Mental Health, focussed on baby loss and birth trauma, as a Senior Psychological Therapist/Clinical Lead.

Further Training

Trauma Focussed CBT

Compassion Focussed Therapy, (Paul Gilbert) Advanced Level Practitioner

Schema Therapy, trained as a therapist.

Mindfulness Teacher, training with the Oxford Mindfulness Centre, along with training with Jon Kabat Zinn and Mark Williams. I am trained to deliver a range of programmes including Mindfulness based Cognitive Therapy for Depression (MBCT) and MBCT for Life, Peace in a Frantic World.

Breathwork training specialised in Mindfulness for chronic pain and physical illness at Breathworks.

Peri natal Mental Health

EMDR Training and Accreditation new for 2025/26.

Extensive programme of Continuous Professional Development each year.

Memberships and Accreditations

BABCP Accredited Member

Member of Resolution

Professional Indemnity Insurance

Enhanced DBS Check

Level 3 Safeguarding Training

I am available globally via zoom, UK based, Tunbridge Wells, South East England.

Mental Health First Aid Instructor (MHFA England) Workplaces are typical locations for training single or increasingly teams of Mental Health First Aiders.

Further training with the Mindfulness in Schools Project, allows me to deliver Mindfulness in Schools to children and teachers. Available to deliver lessons, sessions and training in Schools.

I spent a number of years as the Membership Secretary to the BABCP IPSIG, where we developed and wrote the Guidelines for Independent Practitioners. https://babcp.com/guidelines-and-policies/private-practice-guidelines/

 The rest of life

I’m a single Mummy to two teenagers, we live in Tunbridge Wells, with Casper cat and our spaniel, Bertie, therapy dog in training. (Monty, our previous spaniel, was a fabulous therapy dog!).

I am someone who recharges by spending time with my family and friends, with good food, coffee, outdoors - whether that’s running (including a Duathlon, half marathons, ultramarathon), cycling (proud to have completed to London to Brighton), paddle boarding on the sea or rivers, walking in the mountains and watching sunsets. Travel, playtime (usually live music!) and creativity too, galleries, even playing piano!

Physical health is integral to mental health for me. For my personal interest, I have trained as a personal trainer and hill walking leader, I like to integrate this into my work as appropriate.

CBT as a way of life!