Peter Smith
Member Status: Accredited
Member No: NCS18-07412
Location: Glastonbury
My therapeutic approach combines person-centred counselling with Buddhist psychology and I specialise in working with depression, anxiety, stress, bereavement, relationships, anger, abuse, addiction, low self-esteem and spiritual dilemmas. I offer a free introductory call so you can see if we are compatible before deciding whether you want to begin counselling with me.
Counselling provides an opportunity to reflect on your life and to question who you are and what you need in order to move forward to a better future. During the counselling process you will discover that although life happens out there, it is how we respond to it internally that ultimately defines us. Many of the issues that my clients bring to counselling involve recurrent patterns of intrusive thoughts, overwhelming feelings and impulsive actions. Sometimes they are triggered by current events like the pandemic, war, the cost of living crisis or climate change; or they may result from personal circumstances such as relationship problems, ill health, financial issues, work-related stress or bereavement. These are just some of the challenges that can upset our mental balance and there are often several issues that combine to cause a crisis which eventually overwhelms us.
Seeking help involves first acknowledging your vulnerability which takes courage. And then finding the right therapist can be confusing and difficult. That's why I offer a free half-hour introductory consultation so that you get to know me a little bit before deciding if you want to proceed. It allows you to ask questions and it helps me to understand why you want counselling what you hope to achieve from it.
Online Counselling
We will also discuss the different ways of doing online therapy and which ones might work best for you. I do counselling online via Zoom (audio/video), Signal (audio/video and SMS text), Protonmail (email) or by Telephone.
Research has shown that online counselling is just as effective as counselling face-to-face and for many people there are distinct advantages to working online.
• It is a way of accessing counselling that would otherwise be unavailable
• It is more convenient
• There is no need to make other arrangements (e.g. childcare, travel, etc.)
• All you need is a private place where you feel comfortable talking
personally
• It gives a greater sense of anonymity
• There are no geographical limits for clients who are not close enough for
face-to-face sessions or are physically unable to travel
• It removes the stigma of physically attending a counselling session
Person-Centred Counselling
Person-centred counselling is a collaborative method based on the therapeutic relationship that develops between myself and the client which is like a partnership of introspection and discovery in which you will take the lead. This means that together we will focus on developing your awareness and trust in your own emotional resources and in helping you to make the necessary changes to achieve more fulfilment in your life. The aim is for you to feel happier and more positive by processing blocked emotions which allows you to become more emotionally open with yourself and in your relationships with others.
Mindfulness
Mindfulness practices are mental exercises that teach us to focus our attention on the present moment and to observe our experience without judging it as good, bad, or indifferent. Instead of thinking about, or ruminating upon events, we practise simply being aware of our moment by moment experiences with curiosity and acceptance as we watch them passing through our conscious mind. By monitoring our mental processes non-conceptually in this way we gain self-knowledge and also learn how to regulate our moods e.g. by preventing minor irritations from escalating into uncontrollable anger, or by not fretting about some concern until it develops into a fully-fledged phobia or panic attack.
Supervision
I provide online supervision to qualified counsellors, psychotherapists and students, as well as supporting those practitioners who are working towards accreditation or for an academic qualification. My approach is integrative and I have supervised trainees and qualified therapists from various models. I currently provide online group supervision for Cruse Bereavement Care, a national charity. I am trained in the Hawkins & Shohet model which is also known as the seven-eyed model of supervision. It offers a practical framework which focuses on different aspects of the relationships between the client/supervisee and the supervisee/supervisor, as well as considering the organisational context of the therapy.
If you are looking for a professional, approachable and supportive supervisor I am happy to meet with you. Please contact me to arrange an informal discussion about your supervision needs.