Hayley Smith MSc, MBACP

Psychodynamic Counsellor and Psychotherapist
Leamington Spa, Warwickshire 

Hayley3.jpg

I am an experienced Psychodynamic Counsellor and Psychotherapist, seeing clients either in person in Leamington Spa (Warwickshire) or online via Zoom. I am a Registered Member of the British Association for Counselling and Psychotherapy and a Registrant with the British Psychoanalytic Council.

People enter therapy for many different reasons and, for some, taking those first steps towards finding a therapist can feel like a daunting prospect. It may be confusing knowing where to start - particularly at a time when you might be struggling to make sense of difficult thoughts that have left you unsure what you need and wondering if therapy will make a difference.

These feelings are a natural and understandable element of embarking upon the unknown and perhaps what you might expect at the beginning of any new relationship. So, it’s important you take time to find a therapist who feels right for you and with whom you can hope to build a relationship of trust; within a safe and confidential environment.

What Is Psychodynamic Therapy?

As a psychodynamic practitioner I’m interested in exploring patterns of behaviour and considering how past relationships and experiences connect with and shape how we relate to ourselves and others in the present. I will work with you to help you gain new perspectives - to change how we do things we need to try and understand why we do them. Gaining an insight into how our past may have shaped us helps us better understand the deep-seated patterns by which we – often unconsciously – live our lives. When we begin to reframe our experiences there is hope for greater self-awareness and emotionally healthier ways of thinking and relating.

WHO I WORK WITH

I work with adults (18+) only and have experience of working with people from diverse backgrounds and a wide range of issues. Some of the issues I can help you with include:

  • Anxiety 

  • Depression

  • Low self-esteem/low self-worth

  • Relationship/attachment issues

  • Early childhood trauma

  • Complex trauma

  • Bereavement/loss

  • Unhealthy behavioural patterns

Please note, as I am a Psychological Therapist (student counsellor) at the University of Warwick I do not currently see students from this university in my private practice.

What happens next?

I offer a free 15-minute telephone or online conversation before meeting someone for the first time. This gives you an opportunity to briefly outline your current circumstances and enables me to consider if I might be able to help you.

First session

Your first session takes the form of an ‘initial consultation’ and will last one hour. During this consultation session I will ask questions to better understand your past, your present and your expectations, which may include hopes and fears of entering therapy. This session is a two-way process for us both to consider what you might need at this time and if we might be able to work together. We can then decide the next steps, which might include a counselling contract or considering other options available to you. Sometimes, it might feel appropriate to extend the consultation period to 2 or 3 sessions (with these sessions lasting 50 minutes).

Ongoing sessions

Ongoing therapy sessions will last 50 minutes and take place on a weekly basis - on the same day and at the same time - and I will reserve this space for you. The work is usually ongoing and open-ended, however, some clients prefer to have a firm end-date in mind. If that is your preference, or if we agree that a time-limited number of sessions may be better for you, we can consider the number together in your consultation session(s). Time-limited therapy is usually between 6 to 12 sessions.