Hi, Welcome to my website

SONIA NEALE B. ARTS (PSYCH/COUNSELLING)

MENTAL HEALTH CERT IV

REGISTERED COUNSELLOR PSYCHOTHERAPIST

​MEMBER OF AUSTRALIAN COUNSELLING ASSOCIATION (LEVEL 2)​​

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My name is Sonia Neale and I am a counsellor/psychotherapist whose special interest is working with individuals and couples, especially where there is a diagnosis of Borderline Personality Disorder.   I have a recovered lived experience of BPD which I use, along with my professional qualifications, training and experience, to help clients recover.  I also work in other modalities as listed below.  I have been in private practice for six years and am always updating my skills with professional and personal development.  

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Please have a listen to my recovered lived experience of

Borderline Personality Disorder here.  

https://www.australiacounselling.com.au/experience-borderline-personality-disorder-bpd/

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I have an extensive history and experience in community mental health and I have worked with people from a variety of backgrounds.  I earned my double major degree in Psychology and Counselling from Edith Cowan University and received my Mental Health Cert IV at Midland TAFE.  

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Special Interests:
•    Borderline Personality Disorder
•    CPTSD and PTSD
•    Couples, Relationships and Family Counselling
•    Drugs and Alcohol
•    Depression and Anxiety
•    Work/School Bullying Issues
•    Lifestyle Issues and Lifestyle Changes
•    Mindfulness and Meditation

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Therapy Modes:
•    Dialectical Behaviour Therapy
•    Cognitive Processing Therapy
•    Emotionally Focused Therapy
•    Cognitive Behavioural Therapy
•    Motivational Interviewing

​BORDERLINE PERSONALITY DISORDER​​​

Sonia Neale is a trained counsellor/psychotherapist whose special interest is

working with people with Borderline Personality Disorder and their families.

• She has a recovered lived experience and personal perspective of BPD

• She worked as a mental health peer support worker for ten years

• Sonia was on the committee of WA Branch of the BPD Foundation from 2015 - 2019.

• She was the Consumer Representative of the Australian BPD Foundation 2014 – 2016

• Sonia was awarded the Barbara Hocking Inaugural SANE Fellowship 2014, to study and research Borderline Personality Disorder overseas. 

BPD specific training

Counselling and Psychotherapy trained

Dialectical Behaviour Therapy 

Trauma Informed Recovery and Care Principles

Keynote Speaker

National Borderline Personality Disorder Conference in Perth 2017

University of Wollongong, Project Air Strategy Personality Disorders Conference 2015

Research Team Open Borders, Fremantle and Murdoch University

Sonia was on a Murdoch University research team and is the co-author of two academic journal articles, both published in the International Journal of Mental Health Nursing. 

Recovery and Borderline Personality Disorder: A Description of the Innovative Open Borders Program, and

Perspectives of the Open Borders Program for People with Borderline Personality Disorder.

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COUPLES COUNSELLING

I also have a special interest in couples counselling and family dynamics and have completed Level 1 and 2 Intensive Training Courses in Relationship and Family Therapy at William Street Therapy Centre.  My passion and commitment is to the mental health and well-being of all couples.

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AUSTRALIA COUNSELLING INTERVIEW

Back in 2005, I was given a Borderline Personality Disorder (BPD) diagnosis.  In the below podcast I talk to Clinton Power from Australia Counselling about my experience of diagnosis to recovery and beyond so I could have (as Marsha Linehan so eloquently put it) “A life worth living.”