Stephanie Smith

Do you find yourself in a place where you’re not being the person you want to be and not living the life that you want to live because anxiety, depression, anger, sadness and/or negative beliefs stops you? 

Us humans naturally find ways to deal with uncomfortable thoughts, feelings, sensations, memories and urges to keep ourselves ‘emotionally safe’. This might include more obvious coping mechanisms like alcohol, drugs and disordered eating but also more acceptable behaviours such as avoidance, phone scrolling, working long hours, always being busy, controlling situations, burying feelings, pushing people away and people pleasing. 

To live a meaningful life, we must be willing to experience discomfort and learn from it. I will help you: cultivate this willingness; develop healthier coping mechanisms; enrich relationships; improve quality of life and gain a greater sense of identity.

I have experience and training working with range of issues including relationships and families, attachment and developmental trauma, depression, anxiety, stress, feeling sad, anger, low self-esteem and confidence, major life changes, ADHD, etc.

Depending on your circumstances, I can offer different approaches to meet your needs based on 16 years of experience and ongoing training:

Integrative Counselling for Adults and Young People (14+)

Integrative Counselling means that the therapist draws on different theories to meet the needs of the individual client. Theories I draw on include Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT), Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT), theories of Attachment and Trauma, Somatic/Body work, Neuroscience, Mindfulness and Self-Compassion. My approach is flexible to meet your overall needs as well as what you need on the day. 

Fee: £55/session

EMDR (Eye Movement Desensitisation and Reprocessing) Trauma Therapy for Adults

EMDR is a therapeutic approach that aims to alleviate the distress associated with traumatic memories and associated negative beliefs. EMDR is particularly effective for treating post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), complex trauma (C-PTSD) from early life experiences, anxiety, depression, persistent and damaging negative belief, phobias and more.

EMDR facilitates the brain’s natural information processing system, helping reprocess traumatic memories. Bilateral stimulation (e.g., eye movements, tapping, buzzers) allows the traumatic memories to integrate into the general memory network.

Through EMDR, the distress associated with traumatic memories is reduced, and the individual can develop more adaptive beliefs and responses. The once-traumatic memories are transformed into normal memories, losing their capacity to cause distress.

Fee: £70/session

Adoption Counselling for Adults and Young People (14+)

Due to the distinct nature of adoption related issues, it is important that your therapist has training and experience in this area. I have been a registered Adoption Counsellor with Barnardo’s (Ofsted Registration number 59923) for 12 years. My passion in this area stems from being an adoptive parent. 

The impact of adoption can be lifelong, affecting the adoptee, adoptive family members and the birth family. There are many positive and rewarding aspects to the adoption journey but also there can be much pain and confusion.

Although each individual’s experience is unique and important, some themes that are common to adoption include: maintaining healthy relationships, identity, self-worth, fitting in, emotional regulation, feelings of rejection and shame, not feeling good enough, grief and loss.

Fee: £55/session 

Attachment Focused Family Therapy and Dyadic Developmental Psychotherapy (DDP)

My work as a family therapist is rooted in DDP which was developed for adoption and fostering but the principles can be applied to any number of family issues where relations are strained. I am currently a midway-certified DDP Practitioner. DDP focuses on therapeutic parenting. Parents are the most important element in helping heal family relations and the child’s pain and therefore are a vital part of the work. 

Generally, themes of relationships, attachment, trauma and Adverse Childhood Experiences (ACEs) are explored. We look at what the behaviour is communicating (e.g. feelings of loss, rejection, shame and thoughts of being unlovable or not good enough) rather than addressing the behaviour itself. 

Fee: From £80/session

Please feel free to call or email for an informal discussion. I offer a 20-minute consultation free of charge.

Sessions are normally for 50 minutes (see fees above).

• From £55 per individual session
• From £80 per family session
• Some concessions may be available so please ask

I also currently work as a Clinical Practitioner in Therapeutic Parenting/Care for an Independent Fostering Agency and have several years experience as a School Counsellor (senior school).

My private practice in Lymington High Street is easily accessible to New Forest locations including New Milton,  Lyndhurst and the Waterside. Paid street parking, paid carparks, bus and train stops are within walking distance.

I have a current enhanced DBS certificate and hold Professional Civil Liability Insurance.