RISING WISDOM

A picture of Sophie looking at the camera, with long dark blonde hair, and thick rimmed glasses

SOPHIE BLACKMAN-SMITH

With a 25 year career as a clinical professional within healthcare, including over a decade as a specialist clinical educator - my career has always focused on helping people.

However, due to my own life experiences of trauma and grief, I recognised that I needed to turn my attention towards my own healing, and embarked on a quest to break free of the chaos and overwhelm cycle that prevented me from truly flourishing.

I found the healing benefits of therapy, yoga and meditation before eventually finding my way to circle; a place where I felt gently held in my vulnerability as I put my stories into words.

Determined to offer this sacred space to others I qualified as an advanced circle facilitator and a meditation guide, and have been offering circles to women and the LGBTQ+ community since 2020.

My experiences of grief and loss have led me to my true calling of helping others through their bereavement, and having completed training as a Hypnotherapist and trauma informed Grief Coach, my focus is on offering support to those experiencing grief and loss through the sacred practice of grief tending and powerful modality of hypnotherapy.

Both trauma informed and LGBTQ+ inclusive, I am also currently in training as a psychotherapeutic counsellor, and somatic healer. These treatment options will also be available soon.

QUALIFICATIONS and TRAINING

Diploma in Hypnotherapy and Introduction to Counselling Skills

Introduction to Andean Shamanism and Pleiades Masterclass

Certified Grief Coach

Certified Trauma Informed Coach

LGBTQ+ Awareness Certificate

Advanced Circle Facilitator Training

Meditation Teacher Diploma

Designated Safeguarding Lead

Fellow of the Higher Education Academy

MSc in Clinical Education

Circle Facilitator Training

BSc (Hons) in Clinical Physiology (Cardiology)

Enhanced DBS Certified

Currently studying a Diploma Psychotherapeutic Counselling, and Somatic Healing Certification

Location

Chevington Clinic

Sophie practices out of Chevington Clinic, Bletchingley, Redhill RH1 4LU on Monday evenings and Saturday mornings.

Chevington Clinic is a multidisciplinary clinic providing chiropractic, natural, and complimentary therapies, with animal chiropractic and body work also available on site.

The clinic is in a beautiful countryside location surrounded by green fields and grazing horses, offering a quiet and calming therapeutic environment.

There is free, off-road parking on site.

Accessibility - please note that the therapy room is up the staircase as seen in the picture. Please let Sophie know if an alternative arrangement needs to be made for your appointment.

MY STORY

In the year 2000, I experienced a life changing event when my sister was murdered.

As a stand alone event this was incredibly difficult to navigate, but other life-experiences prior to this meant that my emotional foundations were already unstable.

When my sister died I did not have a framework to lean on to help me navigate the complexity of emotions that arose, and spiraled into a cycle of overwhelm and self-destruct that led me to unhealthy coping mechanisms.

Over the last two decades I have been focusing on healing myself and have learned that this requires travelling inwards to connect deeply with myself. Through therapy, meditation, yoga, and circle I connected with my innate rising wisdom, an inner truth and knowing, and found the strongest desire to break free from the life I was living in order to truly thrive. I made major life changes, and continue to carve out a path in life that aligns with truth to my authentic being.

To expand on my life calling for helping others, I completed my training as a hypnotherapist, an advanced circle facilitator, meditation guide, and certified trauma informed grief coach offering grief tending to those working through grief and loss. I am also currently training as a psychotherapeutic counsellor and a somatic healing therapist.

Rising Wisdom is the space where all these offerings come together; to deliver holistic and humanistic services for people on their own journey of becoming.

I live with my wife, puppy, and cat, just outside of London on the Surrey/Kent border.