Sidonia Stiles, BACP

Sidonia Stiles brings a calm, person-centered presence to relationship work, bereavement support, and common mental health concerns such as anxiety, stress and depression. Known informally as Sonia, she combines relational insight with practical tools to help individuals and couples explore patterns shaped by upbringing, culture and family systems. She has particular experience working with LGBT clients in both one-to-one and relationship-focused settings, and she uses clinical tools such as genograms to map family relationships and recurring dynamics.

Prior to qualifying as a counsellor, Sidonia spent ten years as a group worker for a local council, supporting residential young people and working with complex family and relationship situations. That background informs her practice and her interest in attachment and relational themes. She also works with bereavement and loss, drawing on Gestalt-informed ideas about how grief can be experienced and honoured in different ways.

Sidonia is a registered counsellor with the British Association for Counselling and Psychotherapy (BACP). Her formal training includes an HND Diploma in Person Centred Counselling completed in 2006 - HND meaning Higher National Diploma - and a Level 5 Diploma in Relationship Therapy completed in 2019 with CPCAB (Counselling and Psychotherapy Central Awarding Body). She established a private practice in Eastbourne, seeing clients most evenings and at weekends, and now offers online sessions as well to increase accessibility.

Therapeutic approaches and online support

Sidonia integrates several evidence-informed methods to meet different needs. Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT) helps clients clarify personal values and develop psychological flexibility - it is useful for anxiety, stress and situations where people feel stuck. Attachment-Based Therapy focuses on how early relationships shape current patterns and is often helpful for relationship difficulties, intimacy issues and attachment concerns. Client-Centred Therapy places the client at the core of the process, offering a non-directive, empathic approach that supports self-exploration and emotional processing.

Finding the right approach is part of the therapeutic journey. Sidonia works collaboratively with each person to identify which methods or combination of methods best suit their goals, needs and preferences, adapting the work as therapy progresses.

Online therapy with Sidonia is offered via video calls, phone sessions, live chat or text-based messaging to provide practical flexibility. These options make it easier to fit sessions around work, family life or geographic distance, and they support access for international clients and people who prefer remote appointments. Registered professionals and therapists can use these formats to maintain continuity of care while tailoring sessions to each client’s rhythm and communication style.