- Person-centred approach
- Focus on relationships
- Helps with grief
About Gillian
Gillian Smith is a counsellor based in the United Kingdom who focuses on helping people through anxiety, grief, depression and life changes. She uses a person-centred style so clients feel heard and understood. Gillian aims to build trust and a respectful working relationship from the first session.
She trained in 2019 and holds an Advanced Diploma in Psychotherapeutic Counselling, and her professional credentials include BACP and NCPS. Before retraining as a counsellor she spent over twenty years in other roles supporting people, and she draws on that experience in her work with clients.
Gillian describes her approach as warm and non-judgemental. Sessions centre on the client's experience and feelings, with space to talk through difficult memories, work through grief, or tackle overwhelming stress. She pays attention to attachment and abandonment issues, guilt and shame, and the practical effects these have on day-to-day life.
In therapy she adapts conversations and plans to each person's needs. That can mean focusing on communication problems, supporting someone with ADHD-related challenges, or helping people rebuild self-esteem after loss. The emphasis is on listening carefully and helping clients find their own solutions.
People who are nervous about starting often find the first meeting useful for deciding what to focus on. Gillian offers steady support while clients learn new ways to cope and make changes that suit their life.
How person-centred and psychodynamic work translates online
Client-Centred Therapy focuses on listening, empathy and the client's own priorities. In this approach the counsellor creates space for people to talk about what matters most and helps them find their own path through difficult feelings. Psychodynamic Therapy looks at patterns that come from past relationships and life events, helping people understand how those patterns affect current reactions and relationships.Finding the right approach is part of therapy. Gillian will work with each person to decide whether to lean more on person-centred listening or to explore underlying patterns with psychodynamic ideas. This is a collaborative decision based on the client's needs, goals and preferences.
Online therapy can make fitting sessions into everyday life easier by removing travel time and offering more flexibility for appointments. It can also allow shorter check-ins when needed and make it simpler to fit a session into a lunch break or quiet hour. The original biography does not list specific session formats, so please confirm the available online options before booking.
Areas of expertise
Primary focus
Also works with
Additional focus areas
Therapeutic approaches
Experience
4+ years
Listed in
United Kingdom
Languages
English
Frequently asked questions
What kinds of problems does Gillian help with?
She works with stress, anxiety, depression, grief and relationship difficulties, and also supports people with ADHD, anger and career concerns.
What is her therapeutic style like?
Gillian uses a person-centred approach that focuses on being heard and understood, alongside psychodynamic ideas about attachment and past experiences.
How much experience does she have?
She has four years of professional counselling experience and over twenty years of wider professional work supporting people before retraining in 2019.
Which credentials does she hold and where is she based?
Her listed credentials are BACP and NCPS and she practises in the United Kingdom.
Can I work with her if I live outside the UK?
Sessions are offered in English and she is not currently taking international clients.
What session formats are available?
The original biography does not specify session formats, so please confirm current session options before booking.
How are fees handled?
Cost varies with location and therapist availability; sessions use a subscription that can be cancelled at any time.
How do I begin working with her?
Select the Start Therapy button, complete a short matching questionnaire, and schedule according to the therapist's availability.
Online talk therapy is not emergency care. If you are in danger, use the crisis numbers.