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Meet the Team

Welcome to Serene Psychology

(Psychology Services near Newcastle)

Meet our Team

Serene Psychology is a private mental health service that provides psychology services near Newcastle to individuals who require help with various mental health issues. Ran by Dr Sonia Ahmed, a qualified psychologist with over 10 years of clinical experience, you can rest assured that you will be provided with high-quality, tailored therapeutic support in a safe and non-judgmental space.

Founder and Chartered Counselling Psychologist

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Dr Sonia Ahmed

Having personally experienced trauma in my own life means that I fully understand the impact that trauma can have on individuals. Knowing what it is like to be on the receiving end, and having successfully dealt with my traumas, I am therefore able to fully support you through your own therapy journey.

Clinically, I have been practising as a qualified psychological therapist since 2012 and went on to qualify and practice as a counselling psychologist in 2021. Therefore, you can rest assured that you are in the hands of someone experienced, both clinically and personally, who will support you in your therapy journey from an empathic and non-judgmental standpoint.

I have extensive experience of providing psychological therapy to individuals in a variety of services and settings. These include NHS primary and secondary care mental health services, and not for profit organisations, as well as more traditional counselling settings, and privately. I have worked locally as a psychologist in Newcastle, where I provided private psychology services in Newcastle, and currently run this practice in Sunderland. Through my clinical work, I have gained significant experience of working with a range of issues and difficulties, varying from day to day stress to severe mental health issues.

I have significant experience working with a range of issues and difficulties, varying from day to day stress to severe mental health issues. These include, but are not limited to, anxiety, depression, stress, grief and loss, relationship issues, amongst others.

I have substantial experience working with trauma and PTSD presentations. These can include post-traumatic stress disorder from single event traumas, complex trauma, and developmental trauma. This also includes issues such as depression, anxiety, and relationship issues, which are often a result of unprocessed trauma. I also have wide experience of working with the kind of complex trauma that can result from neglect and abuse in childhood or adulthood.

Qualifications:

  • PsychD Counselling Psychology – 2021
  • BSc Psychology – 2011

Additional Training

  • EMDR
  • Dream completion technique for nightmares
  • Person-centred Counselling for Depression
  • Couples Counselling
  • CBT for Major Depression
  • Working with childhood sexual abuse
  • PTSD & Complex Trauma
  • Mindfulness, Acceptance & Commitment Therapy

Associates

Face to Face & Online

Dr Sabina Rokib is a registered psychotherapist with a Doctorate in Psychology, dedicated to providing compassionate, evidence-based mental health support. She has professional registration with both the British Psychological Society (BPS) and the British Association for Counselling and Psychotherapy (BACP).

Her work is rooted in empathy, respect, and a deep commitment to helping individuals improve their overall well-being and achieve their personal goals. Her approach is client-centered and tailored to address each person’s unique psychological needs, always aiming to create a safe, supportive space where individuals feel heard and understood.

Dr Rokib is also trained in the Autism Diagnostic Interview-Revised (ADI-R) for the assessment and diagnosis of Autism in both children and adults. She has also completed Level 1 and 2 training in Dyadic Developmental Psychotherapy (DDP), and has training in systemic family therapy.

She works with a wide range of mental health issues, and specialises in working with children who have experienced trauma, as well as being passionate about supporting families through complex emotional challenges with sensitivity and care

Online

Dr Eleanor (Nell) Filgate, is a registered Clinical Psychologist with the Health & Care Professions Council (HCPC), delivering psychological treatments to address a range of emotional and behavioural difficulties experienced by individuals throughout the life course.

Having worked for over 10 years in NHS services, Dr Filgate is skilled at providing a nurturing and supportive space to clients to enable exploration of their individual shared formulation of difficulties. Dr Filgate draws on evidence-based therapies, such as Cognitive Behaviour Therapy (CBT), Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT), Eye Movement Desensitisation Reprocessing (EMDR) and Schema Therapy, to achieve a client’s individual therapy goals.

Having worked most recently in community mental health services and specialist perinatal
mental health services Dr Filgate has a keen interest in working with trauma survivors, and
brings to her private work extensive experience treating clients with single event trauma, complex trauma and developmental trauma.


Dr Filgate is equally adept at treating mild to moderate anxiety and mood disorders, as well as more complex presentations including Obsessive Compulsive Disorder (OCD), Bipolar
Affective Disorder and Personality Disorders. She has a particular interest in mental health
difficulties in the context of neurodiversity (ADHD, ASD).

Helping you find your inner calm

Book your free initial consultation today with Dr Sonia Ahmed