Chris Smith
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This professional is available for new clients.
This professional is available for new clients.
About me
I am a caring and supportive, trauma informed counsellor who will work with you to explore and resolve difficult life issues and help you grow as an individual. I work with a wide range of issues, including; anxiety, family issues, self esteem, unresolved childhood issues, relationships, anger & depression.
You may need to simply find compassion and acceptance for yourself, understand yourself more, develop better self support and coping strategies, or actively work to change behavioural patterns, transform distress emotions and long held emotional traumas. As a skilled and qualified integrative counsellor, I can offer a range of different approaches, tailored specifically to help you, according to whatever you feel you need at the time.
So what does a typical counselling session with me involve? Mostly a lot of active listening from me, a safe space for you to explore emotions and thoughts without judgement. When talking isn't enough, I may use EMDR, Gestalt, CBT or creative interventions. I also use 'parts theory' to help clients access 'parts' of themselves affected by emotional blockages and traumas from the past. Whichever approach I use will depend on what the client wants and needs from the sessions.
Sometimes I work outdoors with clients, using contact with nature as part of the healing process. This way of working is known as 'Ecotherapy' and it can simply meaning taking a walk outside during counselling, or it can mean using creatively interacting with nature as part of the process.
Through exploring your issues, we will find which techniques and approaches are best suited to helping resolve your issues.
I am a fully qualified Humanistic Counsellor with over 10 years of experience. I am trauma informed and experienced in working with neurodivergence. I am also a qualified teacher and have taught, designed and assessed counselling and psychotherapy courses for a number of years.
I am also the founding director of The New Futures Academy, an outdoor education and wellbeing project for young people in South Devon, for which I run a youth mentoring programme and also host craft, nature connection and wellbeing events for adults.
Training, qualifications & experience
Qualifications:
- Advanced Diploma in Humanistic Counselling, Dartmoor Centre for Counselling and Psychotherapy
- Post Graduate Certificate in Education (Post 16)
- Part One - Training in EMDR, Philip Manfield Training
Experience:
- March 2014 - Present Day (Ongoing) - Integrative Counsellor in Private Practice (Self-Employed)
- April 2014 - August 2019: Counselling Tutor, Heartwood, Dartington Devon:
- April 2014 - August 2019: Workshop Tutor, Heartwood, Dartington Devon: CPD workshops on Nature Based Therapy,
- Oct. 2012 – April 2014: Voluntary Counselling Placement at Checkpoint, Torquay and Dartmoor Centre for Counselling and Psychotherapy, Newton Abbot
- 2011 & 2013 - 2 years study at Westcountry School of Myth with Dr Martin Shaw
- 2004 - 2023 - Part-time Course Leader, Art & Photography, Plymouth College of Art
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.
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.
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
£70.00 per session
Additional information
I offer concessions
