Andi Smart
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This professional is available for new clients.
This professional is available for new clients.
About me
A BIT ABOUT ME
My name is Andi. I am part of the lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and queer+ (LGBTQ+) community. I identify as a cis gay man. I am registered with The National Counselling and Psychotherapy Society as a Counsellor (MNCPS), The British Psychological Society as a Chartered Psychologist (CPsychol) and Pink Therapy as an accredited Gender, Sexuality and Relationship Diversities Therapist (AGSRDT). I work in accordance with Pink Therapy, NCPS and BPS ethical frameworks.
WHAT I CAN SUPPORT WITH
I have specialised in supporting the LGBTQ+ community for 15 years. This has led to me developing an established amount of experience working with a wide range of gender expressions (transgender, nonbinary, omnigenderand) as well as sexual and relationship diversities (BDSM, kink, polyamory) to name a few.
In addition to the above I work with LGBTQ+ clients who are experiencing challenges related to abuse (emotional, physical, sexual), addiction (alcohol, drugs, pornography, sex), AIDS/HIV, anxiety, bereavement/loss, bullying, depression, neurodiversity, obsessive compulsive disorder (OCD), post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), relationships, self-defeating behaviours, self-esteem, self-harm, stress, suicidal feelings, trauma and domestic violence and victim support.
I am also sex worker friendly and can support with chemsex concerns.
THE COUNSELLING SESSIONS
Sessions are delivered through a person-centered strength-based perspective. This means that in our session we focus on YOUR needs/wants/wishes through directive and none-directive dialogues/assessments/goal setting (where relevant) and, consequently, the building of a ‘resilience toolbox’ as a means to manage future stress, anxiety and/or trauma.
In our sessions I will always:
provide you with a trusting and safe space to explore your feelings and emotions;
navigate - collaboratively - the challenges you are facing and;
assist you in understanding these challenges and any possibilities for positive growth and change.
For more information about me and how I work, see - https://www.smarts-solutions.co.uk/counsellor-chartered-psychologist/
Training, qualifications & experience
EXPERIENCE
I work with (or have worked for) MindOut, Talk To The Rainbow (TTTR), Mind Bristol, Allsorts, LGBT Foundation and Stonewall.
MY QUALIFICATIONS
City College Bristol (accredited by University of Plymouth)
Foundation Degree (FdA) in Integrative Counselling
Leeds Trinity University
Post Graduate Diploma in Health and Wellbeing
University of Brighton
MA Community Psychology
Manchester Metropolitan University
Post Graduate Certificate in Psychology and Disability
Liverpool Hope University (accredited by Liverpool University)
Bachelor of Arts (Honours) - Fine Art and Psychology
RECENT CPD
Certificate in Affirmative Therapy: Working Successfully with LGBT+ Clients
Counselling Online (BACP accredited)
Suicide Prevention
Safeguarding Vulnerable Adults
Equality and Diversity
Confidentiality and Data Protection (GDPR)
Dignity at Work
Communicating with Care
Health and Safety
General Disability Awareness
Suicide Prevention - Pass
Counselling Online (BACP) - Pass
Member organisations
Being registered/accredited with a professional body means an individual must have achieved a substantial level of training and experience approved by their member organisation.
British Psychological Society
The National Counselling and Psychotherapy Society
This Not For Profit association of counsellors and psychotherapists aim to support the counselling profession, members and training organisations.
In 2013 the NCS register was accredited by the Professional Standards Authority under the Accredited Voluntary Register Scheme. Accredited by the Professional Standards Authority.
BACP is one of the UK’s leading professional bodies for counselling and psychotherapy with around 60,000 members. The Association has several different categories of membership, including Student Member, Individual Member, Registered Member MBACP, Registered Accredited Member MBACP (Accred) and Senior Registered Accredited Member MBACP (Snr Acccred).
Registered and accredited members are listed on the BACP Register, which shows that they have demonstrated BACP’s recommended standards for training, proficiency and ethical practice. The BACP Register was the first register of psychological therapists to be accredited by the Professional Standards Authority (PSA).
Accredited and senior accredited membership are voluntary categories for members who choose to undertake a rigorous application and assessment process to demonstrate additional standards around practice, training and supervision.
Individual members will have completed an appropriate counselling or psychotherapy course and started to practise, but they won’t appear on the BACP Register until they've demonstrated that they meet the standards for registration. Student members are still in the process of completing their training.
All members are bound by the BACP Ethical Framework and a Professional Conduct Procedure.
Accredited register membership
The Accredited Register Scheme was set up in 2013 by the Department of Health (DoH) as a way to recognise organisations that hold voluntary registers which meet certain standards. These standards are set by the Professional Standards Authority (PSA).
This therapist has indicated that they belong to an Accredited Register.
Areas of counselling I deal with
Other areas of counselling I deal with
- LGBT+ discrimination, stigma, bullying
- Bisexual Allied
- Body Positivity
- HIV / AIDS Allied
- Intersex Allied
- Lesbian Allied
- Non-Binary Allied
- Open Relationships Non-Monogamy
- Racial Justice Allied
- Sex Worker Allied
- Sex-Positive
- Kink Allied
- Single Mother
- Transgender Allied
Therapies offered
Fees
£60.00 per session
Free initial telephone session
Concessions offered for
When I work
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