Jonathan Smith
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This professional is available for new clients.
This professional is available for new clients.
About me
I am a Psychodynamic Counsellor and Psychotherapist and a member of the British Association for Counselling and Psychotherapy. I work with adults one on one either face to face in in Maidstone (ME14), Tunbridge Wells/Tonbridge (TN1), London or remotely via Zoom nationwide. I work with a range of issues including but not limited to: anxiety, depression, addiction, bereavement, loss, self harm, abuse, trauma, stress, relationships and issues in the workplace. I offer long term (open ended) and short term (12 sessions) Psychodynamic therapy on a weekly basis. I work with individuals from varied backgrounds and histories and provide support and exploration for those with a wide range of needs.
Psychodynamic therapy is the exploration of our past and our unconscious. How we have experienced events and relationships affects how we experience our present, talking, feeling and thinking about our lives and our experiences can lead to an understanding of and an excising of past trauma. Experiences in our present lives, such as the loss of a loved one or the breakdown of a relationship can lead us to being faced with a past experience or parts of ourselves which cause us pain and difficulties. Looking for and exploring links between our past and our present can lead to a better understand of ourselves and our past.
Our unconscious forms a large part of our internal world and impacts how we experience life, our emotions and the decisions we make without us being aware of it. Exploring our unconscious brings to light previously unknown conflict and uncovers previously unknown parts of ourselves giving us a better understanding of our emotional world. With this greater understanding we are able to challenge our framing of the world around us and re-establish our relationship with others and ourselves.
Anxiety, depression or emotional unrest can manifest in many different ways: difficulty sleeping, loss of appetite, lack of enjoyment in favoured activities, lessening attention span, loss of or lack of identity, difficulty in clear thought or intrusive thoughts to name just a few. At times it's not always clear why we feel the way we do, perhaps you are feeling overwhelmed or are engaging in patterns of behaviour which are negatively affecting your life. Conversely you may be all too aware of events or relationships which have or are affecting your mental wellbeing and wish to explore these in a supportive and nurturing environment.
I operate a non-directive model, meaning that I do not provide advice: I am here to experience with you the emotions which arise during our sessions and support and assist with the exploration of yourself and your unconscious.
I work by having an initial session, which is an opportunity for us to meet and discuss you, your past, your present and what has brought you into therapy. Within this session we will discuss fees, the therapeutic frame and the practicalities of our work. We will then have further sessions at an agreed fee, time and place. I tailor my work to the individual so these sessions have no set agenda, they form an opportunity for me to hear from you about your life and you can get a feel for how I work.
Training, qualifications & experience
I trained and practiced at Highgate Counselling Centre in Highgate, London.
Qualifications and Membership:
- Diploma in Psychodynamic Counselling from Highgate Counselling Centre
- Certificate in Counselling Skills from Highgate Counselling Centre
- Mentalizing and Mentalization Based Treatment with Adults (MBT Adult): An Introduction from Anna Freud Centre
- Qualified Mental Health First Aider
- Registered member of the British Association for Counselling and Psychotherapy (MBACP)
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
Fees
£40.00 - £75.00
