Lisa Smith
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This professional is available for new clients.
This professional is available for new clients.
About me
I was inspired to become a counsellor because counselling helped me to overcome my own difficulties and to successfully meet my own challenges.
You'll have heard it said that seeking help is a strength - and it's true. Embarking on a counselling journey can feel like a daunting step. I understand this and will support you in taking that first step.
You may be feeling ...
anxious, depressed, overwhelmed, lonely, or stuck, or feel that you have somehow lost your way. Perhaps you have experienced trauma and want to change how this has impacted you and your life. You may be having problems in your relationships with a partner, family, friends or at work. Or maybe one or more difficult life events have happened to you eg. abuse, job loss, illness, bereavement or relationship difficulties or breakdown.
How I can help
I'll work with you in an emotionally safe way, actively listen to you, without judgment and help you to navigate your way through your difficulties by gaining clarity and developing your confidence and capacity to grow - so that the best forward path for you as an individual begins to emerge. Together we'll spot any feelings, thoughts and behaviours that are making life difficult for you. We'll explore do-able alternatives that will work for you personally. If needed, we'll also find coping strategies that will get you through difficult times. Of course, everybody has different needs and goals but generally speaking you'll be armed with the necessary emotional tools to:
- become the best version of yourself
- experience improvement in your relationships
- make better choices that serve you
- be more assertive, confident and comfortable in your own skin and feel more empowered
- banish that inner critical voice
- regulate and manage your emotions
- feel less depressed and less anxious
These enhancements to your life are what makes counselling such a vital investment in yourself - and because the tools you develop to experience the new you will last your lifetime.
The type of therapy I offer
I draw on aspects of a number of counselling theories and approaches to suit the needs and goals of each individual client. These include CBT, DBT, psychodynamic, compassion based therapy and person centred therapy. You'll take things at your own pace, and can rest assured that no matter what you bring to the therapy space, it will be respectfully accepted with understanding and without judgment.
What will the first session be like?
It is of course vital that I work with you safely and effectively, so I'll spend some time getting a clear sense of your reasons for coming to counselling and get to know a bit about your personal history and mental health background. It's also a good opportunity for you to decide if you would like to go to the next step - the start of your counselling journey with me as your counsellor.
If any of this sounds like what you're looking for, then please do get in touch.
Whatever counselling journey you choose, I warmly wish you every success.
Lisa
Training, qualifications & experience
I am a fully qualified counsellor who has worked therapeutically with people from a wide range of backgrounds, both when I was a counsellor with the well known mental health charity, Mind, then in my own private practice.
I work with individuals going through relationship difficulties, those with low self-esteem, depression, anxiety, PTSD, complex PTSD and trauma related problems including the lasting impact of adverse childhood experiences (including all forms of abuse and neglect).
- CPCAB Level 2 Certificate in Counselling Skills
- CPCAB Level 3 Certificate in Counselling Theory
- CPCAB Level 4 Diploma in Therapeutic Counselling
- BACP Certificate of Proficiency
- Certificate in Healing Complex PTSD: the Brain Science of Recovery
- Dialectical Behaviour Therapy Essentials
- Cognitive Behavioural Level 3
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 - £55.00
Free initial telephone session
Additional information
I offer a free 15 minute phonecall to discuss what you need and to answer any questions you may have. I'll also explain my fee structure and, should you decide to proceed, give you a clear sense of what to expect from your initial session. My fee for the initial session is £40.00.
Should you choose to continue therapy with me, the cost of subsequent sessions is:
Online (Zoom): £40
In-person (Chatham): £40
In-person (London EC2): £55 (inclusive of room hire cost)
When I work
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Further information
All sessions are 50 minutes long and take place by video call (Zoom) or in person at the premises I occupy in either Chatham or London.
Counselling is not a one size fits all process so I offer an open-ended approach that reflects this - there is no limit to the number of sessions available. Some clients find that a few sessions is sufficient to meet their needs while others continue for much longer. I conduct regular reviews to ensure that your needs are being met. After all, it's your process and it's about helping you in a way that is most comfortable and effective for you personally.
I adhere to the ethical framework of the British Association of Counselling and Psychotherapy so you can be sure you will be treated in a safe, professional and accountable way.
If you'd like to find out more, please make an appointment to set up an initial enquiry call when I will gladly answer any questions you have concerning availability, location or my fee structure, or indeed, about the counselling I offer.
