Mikes Smith
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This professional is available for new clients.
This professional is available for new clients.
About me
I am an integrative therapist, with a post graduate diploma in Psychosynthesis Counselling. I also have a master’s in philosophy and a master’s in psychology. My previous roles included working as a bereavement officer in a hospital, supporting individuals and families, even during major incidents and the pandemic.
This has developed a strong foundation for providing personalised compassionate and effective therapy. Working with clients from all walks of life has allowed me to foster a space that is open, accepting, and beneficial for growth. Coming from this background and experience, I offer an open and supportive space for clients to bring their most authentic self.
Whether you’re facing hardships, struggling to adjust to change or feel like there’s something missing in your life, you may be interested in trying something new. Therapy can feel like a big step, but I’ve seen first-hand how transformative it can be for someone’s life. If you’re curious and don’t know where to begin, I encourage you to reach out. It may be transformative for you too.
Training, qualifications & experience
- Master's degree in Philosophy
- Master's degree in Psychology
- Post-graduate Diploma in Psychosynthesis Counselling
Past work experience includes being a bereavement officer for a hospital, supporting those who have recently lost someone. I also developed and adapted this role during the pandemic and major incidents.
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
Indecisiveness
Loss
Break ups
Covid Trauma
Therapies offered
Fees
£80.00 per session
Free initial in-person or telephone session
Additional information
I offer the first session as a free session. This is a 50 minute session in which we will discuss and understand what brings you to therapy and what you would hope to get out of it. Afterwards, sessions are £80 for 50 minutes, both face to face and online.
When I work
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Further information
When people ask me about my therapy practice, the first question I always get asked is what I specialise in. This is a curious question, as I believe everything we bring to therapy is in some way connected. For example, you may come to therapy feeling stuck in your career. This could also bring in your past relationships, your childhood, or maybe your beliefs about yourself and your current life situation. Therapy may unearth a multitude of topics to explore. I warmly invite you to bring yourself to the sessions and together we can explore these in a way that feels safe and at a pace suited for you. If I believe there was someone better suited to work with you on those matters, I will endeavour to say so for you to have the most useful therapy offered to you.
Now that’s not to say I don’t have my familiar areas. As someone who has extensive experience in bereavement, I believe “endings” is often a topic for exploration. Endings could mean death, breakups or breakdowns, new house or job, or even someone who struggles to make decisions.
I also believe in authenticity. Maybe you want to learn who the real you is. Maybe you want to connect with the you that you’ve been missing. When we don’t feel like ourselves or feel like we must become something “different”, that is when we feel most lost. As Bessel Van Der Kolk puts it, “the greatest sources of our suffering are the lies we tell ourselves”. Together we can navigate these challenges and bring back that authenticity, working towards a more nourishing and fulfilling life.
If you have any questions or feel curious about what next steps you can take, please feel free to get in touch. I am always happy to help in any way I can.
