Dr Andrew Smith
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This professional is available for new clients.
This professional is available for new clients.
About me
Are you finding life harder than usual? Struggling to find somewhere just to be yourself – or feeling unsure who you are anymore? As a qualified counsellor I can provide a safe space to listen to what you really want to say, without judging you for what you do, say, think or feel.
Working with a “person-centred” approach, I accept you, your thoughts, feelings and actions, as you are, without judging you. While I have professional training and life experience, I also take the view that you are the expert on yourself. I seek to bring a warmth and gentleness to my approach, which can help us to face deep and difficult issues together.
I offer solution-focussed coaching on work and life goals, integrating a range of approaches and my 25 years' experience operating at board level in the law, NHS, education and the voluntary sector. I am training for senior practitioner coaching status with the European Mentoring and Coaching Council.
I also offer professional supervision for counsellors and therapists.
If you want to get started, email me to set up an initial free half hour introductory session.
I charge £50 per hour for telephone and video therapy and supervision work and £70 per hour for face-to-face appointments including walking therapy. I am charging a discounted rate of £70 per hour for coaching while I train for senior practitioner coaching status with the EMCC.
Training, qualifications & experience
I am a qualified counsellor working in Argyll & Bute. I have an MSc from Keele University in Counselling and Psychotherapy with a distinction in research and practice and a PhD in psychotherapy from Chester University.
My professional experience as a counsellor includes work for an adult hospice, a youth support charity, EAP and other workplace and pastoral support. Previous roles involved working in the law, NHS and special needs.
I am an MBACP (Accred), ie an accredited member of the British Association of Counselling and Psychotherapy (number 00916703) and work to the BACP ethical framework. I also have an enhanced DBS check, safeguarding training to level 3 and professional insurance for your protection and to assure you that I work safely.
I am active in research and relating this to practice. I have been published in the fields of spirituality, bereavement, creative working and LGBT+ issues.
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.
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
Therapies offered
Photos & videos
Fees
£50.00 - £70.00
Free initial telephone or online session
Additional information
Each of us is unique. Whether the therapeutic relationship will “click” can be hard to tell before we meet, so I offer a free half-hour session to see whether we each wish to proceed. Thereafter each 50 minute session costs £50 for telephone and video calls and £70 for face-to-face work.
When I work
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I work part-time during school hours (9-3) on weekdays.
Further information
I also offer walking therapy and use of creativity such as collage as alternative ways of finding a safe way to explore deep feelings.
Among the feedback on my counselling I have received from clients, people have said:
”Andrew understood more about me in a few sessions than I had in a lifetime.”
”Andrew really listened and understood how I feel.”
”I wasn’t sure whether to come or how I felt about seeing a male therapist, but I’m glad I did. Andrew really put me at ease.”
