Louise Smith
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This professional is available for new clients.
This professional is available for new clients.
About me
Making the decision to see a counsellor can take an immense amount of courage. Acknowledging that you may need some help in talking through and making sense of some of your feelings or behaviours can feel a big step to take. There may be events, or even moments, that leave you fighting for breath. Feelings of shame or failure that you cannot seem to shift, or a sense of dread, making everyday life a struggle. Perhaps the death of a loved one, conflict with family or friends, or a significant life change such as divorce, illness or redundancy has caused you to feel off balance. This is where counselling can help.
I am a qualified and experienced counsellor, offering a safe, warm and empathetic environment, where together we can explore your thoughts, feelings and behaviours. I hold the belief that we all have the potential for change and growth, but sometimes this needs to be nurtured. I have worked with many adults who have experienced loss & bereavement, anxiety and anxiety disorders, depression, trauma and difficult early relationships and events.
Through listening to you and understanding your story, I can help you to make links with your relationships and behaviours. Understanding why certain patterns may have formed, along with providing some insights through psychoeducation and gentle challenging, can help to support you in starting to do things differently.
I offer a free initial telephone conversation, which usually takes around 15-20 minutes, where we can establish if I am the right person to help you. Following on from this, we can schedule in a regular time for you where we can meet - either in-person or remotely. I offer both short- and long-term therapy and we can review what is most suitable for you.
My office is based on a farm, just outside of Cobham, in Surrey. It's a comfortable and discrete environment, designed specifically to offer a peaceful and therapeutic space. I am also experienced in telephone and video therapy and so can provide counselling to people who live further afield, or we can blend how you access our sessions according to your needs.
Please do get in touch and we can arrange an initial telephone consultation.
Training, qualifications & experience
- B.A. (Hons): Counselling (1st Class), University of Greenwich
- Foundation Degree: Integrative Counselling, University of Greenwich
- NCFE: Counselling Skills, levels 1-3
- Certified Online & Telephone Counsellor
- Introduction to Transactional Analysis
- Enhanced DBS Clearance
- Counsellor at The Oasis Centre, Cobham
- Counsellor at Sutton Counselling
- Registered Member of the British Association of Counsellors and Psychotherapists (BACP)
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
£60.00 per session
Free initial telephone session
Additional information
£60 per 50 minute session.
When I work
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I currently have some availability for in-person counselling at my office in Downside, near Cobham, on Mondays and Wednesdays. I have some spaces on other weekdays for online counselling.
