Hilary Smith
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This professional is available for new clients.
This professional is available for new clients.
About me
I am a person-centred and integrative counsellor, drawing on techniques from different methods of therapy to meet your individual needs. I embrace each clients uniqueness with acceptance and without judgement. My approach is warm, empathic and caring, allowing you to explore overwhelming emotions in a safe environment, thus, helping you to make positive changes to live a more meaningful life.
I counsel adults and young people with anxiety, low self-esteem, anger management, trauma, depression, self-harm, sexuality issues, addiction & substance misuse. I also have experience in carer burn out, loss & bereavement and illness & disability.
I work creatively with young people incorporating some art and play therapy whilst working to build trust and facilitate dialogue.
Training, qualifications & experience
BSc (Hons) degree in Counselling and Psychotherapy: Professional Practice.
The degree is taught in the person-centred approach with both practical and theoretical modules whilst incorporating modules on different perspectives to counselling such as Cognitive Behavioural Therapy, Emotion-focused therapy, Solution-focussed (brief) therapy, Psychodynamic approaches and Mindfulness.
I have counselled in primary, secondary education and a pupil referral unit for excluded children, a hospice for the terminally ill and at Salford University health Clinic.
I have over twenty years experience working in specialist education and social care where I achieved a level 3 in Health & Social Care and level 3 in Teaching & Learning along with annually updated certificates in Safeguarding, GPDR, Mental Wellbeing in Children, Understanding Autism & Data Protection, among others.
I trained with Place2Be, working with children using Art and Play therapy and completed additional certificates in Attachment theory, self-awareness & helping children tell their stories.
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
Other areas of counselling I deal with
I also offer Ecotherapy: Walk & talk therapy for those who prefer to be outdoors and closer to nature. This will be risk assessed and dependant on the weather.
Therapies offered
Fees
£40.00 - £50.00
Free initial telephone or online session
Concessions offered for
Additional information
Initial consultation face to face is charged at the reduced rate of £20 which covers my room cost.
When I work
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My hours are flexible.
Further information
I have gained a wealth of experience whilst assisting people through emotional difficulties in areas such as low self-esteem, anger management, coping with physical difficulties, illness, grief and addiction. I work empathically whilst always allowing self-direction. My work has taught me patience, good listening skills, acceptance without judgement and the ability to work with people from all backgrounds and cultures. My degree course has taught me unconditional positive regard for the client, complete empathy, congruence and better self-awareness, leaving me in a good position to help others.
