Andria Smith
Every professional displayed on Counselling Directory has been independently verified by our team to ensure they have suitable credentials to practise.
This professional is available for new clients.
This professional is available for new clients.
About me
What I offer
Welcome to my page. I provide non-judgemental, professional and affordable counselling/ psychotherapy. I am deeply committed to the belief that psychotherapy/counselling should be centred with the viewpoint and preference of the client, rather than the service defining and becoming directive to the client/s. My main theoretical approach is person centred and as a Person-Centred therapist, the relationship is one of trust, placing the trust in clients to develop personally and trusting their experiences. The unspoken bond within the therapeutic relationship is, I trust you and you can trust me, allowing a relationship built on openness and a safe platform to explore your emotions.
I offer a warm and natural, as well as a professional welcome. Your enquiry will be confidential from the first point of contact. Maintaining confidentiality is a matter of contracted agreement as well as being a matter of constant regard for the trust that is embedded into my practice. Your rights are protected in accordance with my ethical framework and the data protection act 1998 and 2018 (GDPR).
The therapy
Furthermore, remaining true to the values and principles of Person Centred Therapy, where it is helpful and meaningful to you, I will draw upon the techniques of other approaches. Within life we each prefer to approach a task, or to resolve an issue in a certain way, so why should this not be true within counselling/psychotherapy. In short, I work in the way that suits and is most helpful to you. Equality and diversity are at the core of my counselling approach and service, with the belief that respect for the individual human being you are, is paramount within our work.
I am aware that talking about mental health and wellbeing, or discussing personal issues may seem daunting. Often we can feel that we will be negatively judged, or misunderstood. I am here to work with you, to understand and to value your thoughts and feelings in the way that they are important to you. It may also be that thoughts and feelings may seem unclear or too complex to put into words. I recognise that we each, as individuals, require an environment in which we feel sufficiently safe and positively valued to begin to explore what we think and feel, in a way and at a pace that is positive and meaningful to us. in order to ascertain that we can work together, I offer a free of charge initial session, where we can see how and if we can work together, it is as important as the modality of the therapy, that you are with the right therapist for you.
Thank you for taking the time to view what the psychotherapy / counselling service I provide has to offer to you and to others who you feel may also benefit from working with me. Whether I am working with a singular or multiple referral, I believe that the service provided should be tailored to individual need and be meaningful to those who use it. I understand that modern living and circumstance may make accessing counselling difficult. I am therefore, wherever possible, happy to accommodate your needs and preferences, including, evening and weekend appointments. I hope this brief intro has helped to begin to answer the questions that you may have about the counselling and psychotherapy I provide. I would like you to know that I am happy to answer any questions that you may have, no matter how large or small they may appear to you.
Training, qualifications & experience
I am qualified to degree level in Psychotherapy / Counselling and hold a bachelor of science honours and Masters in Psychology. The background in Psychology gives me an in depth knowledge of mental health issues and an overview of research within all theoretical orientations. I also have a level 7 clinical supervision qualification.
Qualified online counsellor, certificated for email counselling/skype, for more information on how this works, please ask.
I am a BACP (British Association of Counselling and Psychotherapy) Accredited/Registered member.
I am also a member of the BPS (British Psychological Society)
These memberships ensure that I am working in your best interest and I am accountable within my practice.
I hold an advanced criminal records bureau disclosure and I am appropriately insured for my practice.
I have 22 years counselling experience working in a variety of settings, sexual health at the Community Action On Sexual Health, with substance misuse/ addiction at Derbyshire Alcohol Advice Service, and in private practice since April 2013, where I have worked with couples and an array of individuals.
The work I undertook at the CASH project has given me an in depth knowledge of working with LGBTQI community.
Member organisations
school Registered / Accredited
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 per session
Free initial telephone or online session
Concessions offered for
Additional information
The initial consultation session is free of charge;
Psychotherapy one to one session £50 for 1 hour, concessions available for individuals on benefits.
Supervision is charged at £40.00 per hour which equates to £60.00 for the usual 1 1/2 hours required.
I offer a concessional rate for trainee counsellors.
When I work
| Mon | Tue | Wed | Thu | Fri | Sat | Sun | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Morning | |||||||
| Afternoon | |||||||
| Evening | |||||||
| Night |
Availabity, day time/evenings and weekends. I intend to book your first session, from the first point of contact, within 1 week.
Further information
The therapy takes place in a log cabin at the bottom of my garden (photos at the bottom) which helps to maintain client privacy and gives an experience of being in your own little space. The interior is designed to be natural and peaceful and will hopefully make you feel at ease. Additionally, there is an outside toilet for client use.
