Michelle Smith, BACP

Michelle Smith is a counsellor with three years of professional experience in the United Kingdom. She focuses on helping people who are struggling with stress, anxiety, addictions, trauma and abuse, and depression. She approaches therapy with respect for each person's strengths and their own understanding of their story. Michelle believes the first step is often the hardest and aims to make that step feel manageable. Sessions focus on clear, practical conversation rather than jargon. The work is paced to what each person can handle, with attention to coping strategies and everyday adjustments. Her background includes supporting people through major life changes and issues related to ageing and geriatric concerns. Michelle also has experience with attachment difficulties, mood disorders, obsessive and compulsive behaviours, and problems linked to substance use. She can talk through feelings tied to guilt, shame, sexuality, and experiences of prejudice and discrimination. Michelle works with people affected by trauma, post-traumatic stress and paranoia, and she has informed experience relating to veterans and armed forces issues. She is able to support hearing impaired clients and those dealing with social anxiety and phobia. She is registered with the British Association for Counselling and Psychotherapy, often shown as BACP, and offers sessions in English. If you are thinking about therapy, she asks people to consider what they hope to change and to start by answering a short matching questionnaire.

How therapeutic approaches translate to online work

Many counsellors use evidence-based therapeutic techniques that focus on practical change. For example, a cognitive-style approach looks at unhelpful thoughts and helps people test and change them to reduce anxiety and low mood. A behavioural-style approach concentrates on small, manageable actions to rebuild routines, reduce avoidance, and ease symptoms of depression or social anxiety.

Choosing the right method is part of the process. The counsellor will work collaboratively to find which approach fits best with someone’s goals, needs and preferences. That means trying things out together and adjusting as needed rather than committing to a single path from the start.

Practical benefits of online work include fitting sessions around busy days and avoiding travel time. Online sessions can make it easier to keep appointments during work breaks or when mobility is limited. The biography does not specify which online or in-person formats are offered, so please confirm current session options before booking to ensure they match your needs.