Ela Smith

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UKCP Psychotherapist
Accepting new clients
Accepting new clients

This professional is available for new clients.

location_on London N16 & N1
Accepting new clients
Accepting new clients

This professional is available for new clients.

About me

I'm an accredited Humanistic Psychotherapist, and I offer face to face and online therapy in my own private practice in Stoke Newington. I'm open minded, warm and easy to talk to. I have found that when you feel valued and understood by someone, you naturally become better at being able to offer that to yourself. I prioritise working to build trust, so I can be there to support you through painful and vulnerable moments. I believe that therapy can be a place where you get to explore parts of yourself that you might not often get to express. I have extensive experience working with anxiety, depression, low self-esteem, and sexual trauma. 

How I work

 I trained in Gestalt, Person-Centred and Transactional Analysis therapies, so I integrate a range of theoretical and creative tools but tailor the approach to what is useful for you, and provide a genuine, candid space for you to talk openly. 

Many of us learn growing up that some of our needs or feelings are unacceptable, or shameful and so we find it hard to accept them in ourselves. We can end up feeling stuck, wondering why we keep repeating the same patterns or feeling overwhelmed. This isn’t because there is something ‘bad’ about us. It is based on ways we have used to cope and survive. Together, I aim to help you make sense of yourself and what you’ve lived through. I hope to find ways that allow you to feel authentic and comfortable in who you are. 

Starting Therapy Together

If you are interested in exploring what it might be like to work with me as your therapist, please get in touch by emailing me. It might feel daunting starting therapy, but I will aim to make our first session as comfortable and supportive as I can. We can have an open conversation that lets me find out what’s brought you this point and what you are hoping for. 

You will be able to ask me any questions or tell me any concerns you might have, as well as get a feel for if my approach is the right one for you. You might want to commit to a limited number of sessions, or you may want a more open-ended approach. We can discuss what works for you and agree an initial counselling contract. Together, we can regularly review your progress, how you are finding therapy, and any new areas you might want to work on. 

Training, qualifications & experience

I am a qualified psychotherapist and a UKCP-accredited member. I hold an MSc in Humanistic Psychotherapy and a Level 6 Diploma in Humanistic Psychotherapeutic Counselling.

Additionally, I have a first-class honours degree in visual communication and have worked as an art consultant and teacher for over a decade. I have extensive experience providing counselling in the voluntary sector, focusing on working with adult survivors of childhood sexual abuse.

Member organisations

BACP
British Association for Counselling & Psychotherapy (BACP)

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.

Areas of counselling I deal with

Therapies offered

Fees

£75.00 per session
Free initial telephone session

Health Insurance/EAP

  • check_circle Axa Health
  • check_circle WPA
  • check_circle Aviva

Additional information

£75 for a 50 minute session

When I work

Mon Tue Wed Thu Fri Sat Sun
Morning
Afternoon
Evening
Night

Further information


 

London, Greater London, N16

London, Greater London, N1

Type of session

In person
Online
Phone

Types of client

Young adults (18-24)
Adults (25-64)
Older Adults (65+)

Key details

DBS check info

In England and Wales, the Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS, formerly known as CRB) carry out criminal records checks for individuals working with vulnerable groups, such as children. To find out more, visit gov.uk , or contact this professional directly

Online platforms

Google Meet
Skype
Zoom