David 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
Hi, thanks for taking the time to look at my counselling profile.
My name is Dave and I am a counsellor. I studied at South Essex University and gained my qualification in 2017. I also work with couples and families and I am a counselling supervisor.
Looking on the directory is the first step to making changes to your life and I encourage to continue on your journey.
My counselling practice, based in Essex, centres around helping people find their true selves and helping people to be comfortable in their own space. If you are struggling with anxiety, depression, loss, or a sense of not knowing who you truly are – then that is where I believe counselling can genuinely help.
My approach is Person Centred at its core, but I am to use and integrative counselling approach, so I will use CBT (Cognitive Behaviour Therapy), Gestalt, and Transactional analysis; depending on the clients presenting issues. In this form of counselling the client leads the session.
I am able to work with young people, from the age of 14 and adults of any age. I am also qualified to, and have experience in, working with couples and families.
Whilst my approach is person centred based this approach may not work for everyone. It is important that you find the right therapist for you. Key to any counselling is the relationship between client and therapist. You need to be comfortable and confident with your therapist. So, take time to find the right fit for you.
-------------------------------------
I offer a 15 minute consultation, with no charge, to introduce myself and to discuss your situation, to help you decide if you feel that we will be able to work together.
If you wish to proceed, I will email a copy of a contract and a questionnaire.
Our first meeting will involve a discussion around the contract and your answer, before moving on to discuss your situation in more depth.
Training, qualifications & experience
My journey in counselling has its foundations with the Probation Service in 2007. I spent 15 years working with mainly young adults who were in the criminal justice system. I qualified in 2017 and have been working as a counsellor ever since. Between 2021-2023 I was the Office Manager of a counselling charity based in Hornchurch. Whilst in this environment I worked with children, young people and adults. Alongside supporting students and qualified counsellors with the counselling that they were delivering. In 2021 I qualified to work with couples, and I have also qualified as a Supervisor.
Whilst much of my work focuses on helping individuals live in the moment and deal with the concerns and worries that they have for the present time. I have often found that today’s anxieties are based in historical events. It is often through exploring those events and the impact that these have had that we can address the concerns and issues that the client brings to the counselling session.
I am a registered member of the British Association of Counsellors and Psychotherapists.
Member organisations
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
£40.00 per session
Free initial telephone session
Concessions offered for
Additional information
Typically I suggest working with clients for a minimum of 6 sessions - each session being 50 minutes. And it’s important to stress that the number of sessions is entirely decided by the client.
I also work with couples and I am a qualified supervisor.
I currently offer on-line sessions, using the Teams. My fee is £40 per session.
Online counselling, 50 minutes, £40
Couples 50 minutes £50
Supervision, 90 minutes, £60
Students and Trainee counsellors £30
Further information
I have been working with individuals, couples and families for the past 15 years.
My work has led me to work alongside other agencies with a view to helping those that I have been working with. I am also qualified safeguarding for children and vulnerable adults.
My role is not to "heal" you, or make you better. It is to help you find your way. My part, in your journey, Is to help you make the choices that you want to make, and sometimes this is difficult. The conversation may be painful, but these discussion lead to self enlightenment and personal healing.
It is my role, as your counsellor, to help you through these discussions, to help you understand the real you. Often, it is to help you find out who the real you is, under all the changes that you have made to enable you to survive the journey that you have been on.
For me, it is a privilege, to be able to help people, individuals, couples, to discover what happens next on their journey.
