Helen Smith

Hello, I'm an Integrative therapist working in the Pittville/ Town Centre area of Cheltenham. As an Integrative therapist, I draw on a variety of theoretical models according to the needs and character of the people who come to see me. I have had the privilege of working with trainers, therapists and supervisors from a number of different theoretical backgrounds and these experiences have all fed into my integrative approach.

I believe it is the quality of the therapeutic relationship that is the most important factor in the healing work, which is why it is very important to find somebody who you feel safe with and whom you can establish a good connection.

Our initial meeting is very much a chance for us to see if we can usefully work together. I will explain more about how I work and will invite you to tell me about what brings you to therapy. You will have a chance to ask anything about the way I work and share any concerns you may have about the therapeutic process.

There is no obligation for you to continue to work with me, at this or any other point. My goal is for you to find the right person for you, and if you don't quite click with me, that's alright too; I might be able to give you some pointers as to the type of therapist you may be looking for. The first session will take place face to face or by Zoom, depending on any restrictions that may be in place. It will be the same in terms of length and fee as any other session. By the end of the session, I aim for you to be able to make a well informed choice about working with me or taking a different route and to feel more hopeful about your problems.

Your problem or pain doesn't need a name or diagnosis in order to be worthy of therapy. I work with whatever you bring. The foundation of my work is the same, whatever your gender, race, religion, class, age, sexuality or education. However, I believe that the intersection of these factors is vital to your experience of the world.

I have a special interest in the following groups:

Women who feel stuck in a life that doesn't quite fit

Perhaps you have a nagging feeling that life could be more beautiful. you may feel trapped by past choices or have experienced a wake-up call or final straw: Bereavement; relationship difficulties; work issues; children leaving home; peri-menopause or menopause; ageing parents; health issues. Whatever you come with I provide support and encouragement to face your feelings and find resources, choices and hope for the future. I'd like to help you face your life with a greater sense of peace, balance and joy.

Teenagers who feel overwhelmed, whose usual coping strategies are not enough

You may find it hard to put your feelings into words or to talk to friends and family about your problems. Perhaps you feel a mismatch between your desires and the expectation of others. As well as being a therapist, I also teach and know about the stresses of school life. I have three children in their twenties and I've seen close up the different emotional challenges they've faced in finding a life that is satisfying to them. I would very much like to support you in exploring your feelings and finding a way forward that feels right for you.

Trainee counsellors

Perhaps you are looking forward to therapy, or perhaps the training is highlighting tender spots in your life that you are nervous of exploring. This is very normal, and I have been where you are now. I would very much like to support you to explore your own experience, becoming more at ease with the breadth and depth of who you are, so that you can live and work with greater authenticity and peace.

Creative Journalling for Wellbeing Groups

I enjoy teaching creative journalling to small groups as a way of helping people fashion their own unique creative practice. The goal is to support and maintain mental health and wellbeing for life. Having taught Philosophy, Theology and Ethics for over ten years, I now enjoy blending my two careers to provide a therapeutic atmosphere in which you can meet with like minded individuals to explore and experiment with various models of journalling. We work with free writing, simple poetry, mindful smartphone photography, dreamwork and other forms. It's a lot of fun as well as being a healing and supportive process.

Whoever you are, and whatever your problems I'd very much like to meet with you and hear how life is for you and support you to find your way through.

• Private Practice
• Face to face sessions
• Creative Journalling for Wellbeing courses
• Zoom sessions during restrictions or according to client need
• Sessions are 60 minutes
• I work Mondays - Fridays 10-6

• menopause
• peri-menopause
• religious transitions
• fundamentalism
• leaving restrictive religious communities
• women's issues
• female transitions
• female life stages
• personal development

£75 for 60 minutes

Concessionary rates may be available. I run a limited number of concessionary sessions.

I work Monday - Friday 10.00-6.00

There may be flexibility around working hours stated above. 

Creative Journalling for Wellbeing

As a therapist I’m always drawn to the creative riches of the individuals I work with, riches that have the power to not only unlock their current problems, but sustain them over the longer term. There is usually much more to us than meets the eye; we contain treasure that can become shut off from our everyday awareness, but they can be drawn out through regular attention and practice. During Lockdown many of us learnt that routine and creativity go a long way to helping us survive difficult times and go on to flourish when the storm has passed. But we may also have found that it can be difficult to maintain a routine of creative self-care; the busyness of life, the needs of others, and our own self-doubts can be the weeds that crowd out our own tender shoots of growth.

I would like to invite you into Creative Journalling for Wellbeing, a course in which you can meet with like minded creative people who want to nurture and enrich their inner world, in order to feel more at ease with themselves and their lives. Having tried many forms of journalling both with myself and with some of the people I work with, I have developed a course which will help guide you toward s practice that works for you. Creative journalling can take many forms, and it can sometimes be hard to know which will suit us best; but once learnt, explored, practiced and adapted, it can be a support to us for the rest of our lives.

Maybe you kept a diary as a child or had a go at gratitude journalling at some point in your life. Maybe these forms don’t quite hit the spot now. Perhaps you have made New Year’s resolutions to keep a record of each day, only to find yourself staring at a lack lustre list of the days events, unsure what good it’s doing. Maybe your self-censor kicks in or  you worry about someone else finding and reading your diary. This course will give you a chance to get an overview of different styles of creative journalling and assist you in experimenting in order to develop your own personalised practice - one that fits with your life and really works for you.

What will you get out of this course?

• You will explore 5 different forms of creative journalling within a like-minded group
• You will have a week to play with each form of journalling
• You will have clear instructions to follow, as well as some self-reflection tasks to take you deeper into your journalling.
• You will have time and space to discuss your experience with the group
• You will be encouraged to blend the approaches in a way which works for you, building a lasting creative practice that will continue to support you for years to come.
• We’ll meet at Helen’s private practice in Pittville, close to the centre of Cheltenham, where you will be made welcome with cake and drinks.
• You will have all that you need to continue to grow your practice on your own, perhaps with the additional support of the friends you have made.
• The course will run with a maximum of 8 people, so that you all have enough time and attention.

Session details:

Introduction to the course. Model One - The Artist’s Way
Model Two - Poetic Journalling for Beginners 
Model Three - Gratitude Journalling with a Twist
Model Four - Mindful Smartphone Photography
Model Five - Approaching Dream Work
Developing My Own Personal Practice

This course is for you if: 

• You want to develop a journalling practice but don’t know where to start.
• You already have a journalling practice but you’d like to explore and blend some new forms.
• You’d like to learn more about yourself and feel more at ease with who you are.
• You’d like to carve out some time for self-care in your daily or weekly routine
• You’d like to meet with an encouraging supportive group to do something new and fascinating which has the potential to enrich your life for years to come.

  Fee:

  £250 all inclusive to be paid in full before the first session.

Please don't hesitate to get in touch if you have any questions about this