Jeff Smith
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This professional is available for new clients.
About me
Hi, my name is Jeff.
Hope is perhaps the most precious thing we have. Sometimes a joy in life's possibilities and sometimes small and hidden deep inside, wary of another disappointment. Hope is often linked with the reason people come to counselling. A desire to change present circumstances in the belief that things can be different and possibly better. Hope for a way through loss and grief and an acceptance of this new life. A wish to overcome anxiety or the very real sense of feeling separate and alone. It can be a hope of finding meaning and purpose.
I am a qualified integrative counsellor and it’s been quite a journey to get here. Hope played a part in enabling me to tie all the strings together so to speak and I feel it’s something that I bring to my counselling.
My role as a counsellor is to work with you in developing a deeper understanding and acceptance of yourself. At your own pace and with whatever you bring to the counselling. Our sessions together will offer a confidential, non-judgemental space for you to explore your thoughts and feelings. To perhaps look at patterns of behaviour and communication that no longer serve you and can mean that you feel ‘stuck’ in your connection to others or in life generally.
I have training in the Person Centred, Transactional Analysis and Gestalt approaches. I am registered with the BACP and abide with their Ethical Framework. I also have some art training and can accommodate artistic expression and the use of imagery in the sessions. Words can be tricky to find sometimes, and creativity can help with this.
The quality and strength of the relationship between counsellor and client has been shown to be a good basis for therapeutic change. I provide a free initial 20 – 30 minute session for us to get to know each other a little and see if we can work together. I will also talk more about the aims of counselling, the approaches I use and how this might look in the sessions.
I have worked in mental health and recovery services for over 12 years now in both the NHS and the charity sector. In this time I have met a wide range of people, each with their own unique life experience.
I am also a volunteer counsellor for a cancer support charity called The Hummingbird Centre (2 years) and for West Bletchley Well-Being Service.
Areas I can help with:
- Grief and loss
- Addictive behaviour
- Cancer
- ASD/neurodivergence
- Personality disorder
- Anxiety
- Impact of traumatic experiences
- Bereavement
- Depressive states
- Family issues, current or past
- Emotional dysregulation/ stress
- Life changes
Training, qualifications & experience
- Level 4 Diploma in Therapeutic Counselling
- Level 3 Certificate in Therapeutic studies
- Level 2 Certificate in counselling skills
- BA(Hons) Fine Art
- Level 3 Understanding Mental Health Care
Further training certificates include:
- Introduction to Compassion Focused Therapy
- NHS Care Certificate
- Mental Health and the body: Treating trauma – Carolyn Spring
- Autism and self-regulation
- Motivational interviewing
- Using embodied TA to enhance your practice
- KUF – working with Personality Disorder- awareness level
- How the body holds trauma and chronic stress
- Understanding Autism
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
Free initial in-person or online session
Concessions offered for
Additional information
I charge £50 for a 50-minute session and can work with clients for both short- and long-term work. I also offer a small number of reduced rate sessions, please contact me about this.
When I work
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Further information
I am available for in person/online sessions on Wednesday 8am – 2pm at 24 Market Hill, Buckingham. Online sessions are available on Monday 2pm – 8pm and Tuesday 2pm – 8pm. I have a few spaces available on other weekdays.
Buckingham is a small market town with 1 hour parking available near Market Hill. Alternative parking is available in Cornwall Meadows car park. The bus station is nearby and serves the local area including stops for Milton Keynes, Winslow, Aylesbury, Bicester and Oxford.
I have public indemnity insurance and I am also registered with the ICO and the DBS update service.
Thank you for taking the time to read through my profile.
