Gillian Smith
Practical, person-focused counselling for everyday struggles
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About Gillian
Gillian Smith helps people who are feeling overwhelmed, anxious, low or stuck. She writes in a straightforward way and focuses on making clients feel heard. Gillian is based in the United Kingdom and has four years of professional counselling experience alongside wider professional work spanning over two decades.
She uses a person-centred approach, which means sessions focus on the client's own experience and feelings. The counsellor aims to listen without judgement and to build a trusting relationship.
Background and approach
That approach is often chosen by people dealing with stress, anxiety, grief, loss and self-esteem concerns. Gillian also draws on psychodynamic ideas to look at how past experiences and attachment patterns can shape current feelings and relationships. This can help when people want to understand the roots of repeated patterns such as abandonment worries, attachment difficulties or persistent guilt and shame.
Her background includes retraining in 2019 and completing an Advanced Diploma in Psychotherapeutic Counselling. She holds BACP and NCPS credentials and combines those studies with many years of related professional experience. In practical terms she works with issues such as depression, relationship and communication problems, anger, career stress, coping with life changes and ADHD-related concerns.
Gillian says she will tailor conversations and any plan to each person's needs and preferences. She invites people who feel ready to take a step towards change to begin the process and will work alongside them as they try new ways of coping and understanding themselves.
At a glance
- Years practising
- 4
- Registered with
- BACP, NCPS
- Registration number
- 391067, NCS18-06667
- Languages
- English
- Approaches include
- Client-Centered Therapy, Psychodynamic Therapy
- How sessions happen
- Online, by video, phone or messages
Details are as listed on Gillian's public professional profile. You can check any number with the professional body.
What Gillian works with
Everything Gillian lists, in their own terms.
- Stress, Anxiety
- Grief
- Self esteem
- Depression
- Relationship issues
- Family conflicts
- Trauma and abuse
- Anger management
- Career difficulties
- Coping with life changes
- ADHD
- Abandonment
- Attachment issues
- Communication problems
- Guilt and shame
- Self-love
Approaches Gillian lists
Listing an approach is not evidence of training in it. This directory copies what each counsellor names and does not check training records.
How Gillian works online
She also employs psychodynamic ideas to help people see how past relationships and early experiences influence current emotions and behaviour. That perspective can be useful when someone wants to track repeating patterns such as attachment worries, abandonment fears or long-standing guilt.
Choosing the right approach is part of the work. Gillian will discuss goals and preferences with each person and decide together which elements to use. The process is collaborative and may change as understanding deepens.
Practical benefits of online therapy include fitting sessions into a busy week and avoiding travel time, which can make it easier to maintain regular contact. Because session formats are not listed in the biography, please confirm current session options before booking so you know what is offered and how it will fit into your routine.
Questions and answers
What issues does Gillian often help with?
She works with stress, anxiety, grief, low self-esteem and depression along with relationship and family concerns. Other areas include trauma and abuse, anger, career strain, coping with life changes and ADHD-related difficulties.
What is her therapeutic style in sessions?
Gillian uses a person-centred style that emphasises listening and understanding. She also draws on psychodynamic ideas to explore how past experiences influence current feelings.
How much experience does she have?
She has four years of professional counselling experience and over two decades of wider professional work that informed her decision to retrain in counselling.
What credentials and location are listed?
She holds BACP and NCPS credentials and is based in the United Kingdom.
Can sessions be held in languages other than English?
Sessions are offered in English.
Does she work with people outside the UK?
She is not currently accepting international clients.
How are sessions paid for and what about cost?
Sessions use a subscription model that can be cancelled at any time and costs vary with location and therapist availability.
How do I begin working with her?
Click the Start Therapy button, complete a short matching questionnaire, and then schedule sessions according to the therapist's availability.
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