Kate Oliver-Smith

• Stress and anxiety
• CBT and client-centred
• Grief and relationships

About Kate

Kate Oliver-Smith works with stress, anxiety, relationship problems, grief, low self-esteem, depression, addictions and other life difficulties using psychotherapeutic counselling and practical talking approaches. She is registered with NCPS and has 13 years' experience. Kate presents herself as a counsellor who helps people set realistic goals and work towards them.

She began her career in human resources, supporting individuals and teams with mediation, coaching and counselling. That work gave her experience in workplace and personal issues and led her to move into full-time counselling. She combines HR experience with a psychotherapeutic way of working to address practical problems as well as emotional material.

Her clinical range includes client-centred work, cognitive behavioural techniques, psychodynamic ideas, existential reflection and motivational interviewing. In sessions she draws on these approaches to help people understand patterns, try new ways of thinking and make achievable changes.

Kate says she is down to earth and approachable. She uses straightforward conversation, reflective listening and clear goals to help people manage anger, sleep problems, intimacy issues, parenting strain, career decisions and adjustments after loss. She also works with issues linked to adoption, attachment, body image, chronic illness, codependency and domestic violence.

Costs vary with location and sessions use a subscription model that can be cancelled at any time. To start, clients complete a short matching questionnaire and schedule a first session.

How Kate uses talking approaches in online sessions

Client-centred therapy focuses on giving the person space to talk and be listened to, with the counsellor reflecting what is said and helping the client find their own direction. It suits people who want a collaborative, conversational way of understanding feelings and choices.

Cognitive behavioural therapy (CBT) looks at thinking patterns and behaviours and uses structured tasks and practical exercises to change unhelpful habits. It is often used for anxiety, low mood, sleep problems and stress-related difficulties.

Existential therapy helps people think through meaning, values and major life choices by exploring how they want to live and what matters to them. It can be useful when facing life changes, career questions or questions about commitment and identity.

Finding the right approach is part of the work together. The counsellor will discuss goals, preferences and what feels most helpful, and they will adjust methods as sessions progress to suit the person's needs.

Please confirm which session formats are available before booking, as formats are not specified here. Online sessions can make it easier to fit counselling into a busy week, reduce travel time and allow shorter check-ins when needed. They can also allow people to work with a counsellor who is located elsewhere, including internationally, without changing location.

Topics Kate lists

• Stress and anxiety
• Relationship issues
• Grief
• Self-esteem
• Depression
• Addictions
• LGBT
• Family conflicts
• Trauma and abuse
• Intimacy-related issues
• Sleeping disorders
• Parenting issues
• Anger management
• Career difficulties
• Coping with life changes
• Coaching
• ADHD
• Abandonment
• Adoption and foster care
• Attachment issues
• Body image
• Cancer
• Caregiver issues and stress
• Chronic pain, illness, and disability
• Codependency
• Commitment issues
• Communication problems
• Control issues
• Dependent personality
• Dissociation
• Divorce and separation
• Domestic violence
• Emptiness
• Family problems
• Forgiveness
• Guilt and shame
• Hospice and end-of-life counselling
• Infidelity
• Isolation and loneliness
• Jealousy
• Life purpose
• Midlife crisis
• Veteran and armed forces issues
• Money and financial issues
• Mood disorders
• Narcissism
• Obsessions, compulsions, and OCD
• Panic disorder and panic attacks
• Personality disorders
• Phobias
• Postpartum depression
• Post-traumatic stress
• Pregnancy and childbirth
• Prejudice and discrimination
• Process addictions
• Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD)
• Self-harm
• Self-love
• Social anxiety and phobia
• Women's issues
• Workplace issues
• Young adult issues

Ways of working

• Client-Centred Therapy
• Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT)
• Existential Therapy
• Motivational Interviewing
• Psychodynamic Therapy
• Solution-Focused Therapy
• Trauma-Focused Therapy

Questions about Kate

Does she work with anxiety?

Yes. She works with anxiety along with stress, panic and related difficulties using talking therapies and practical techniques.

What kind of counselling does she offer?

She offers psychotherapeutic counselling drawing on client-centred methods, cognitive behavioural approaches, psychodynamic and existential ideas, and motivational interviewing.

How much experience does she have?

She has 13 years of experience, including earlier work in human resources supporting individuals and groups.

Where is she based and registered?

She is based in the United Kingdom and is registered with NCPS.

Can I have sessions in languages other than English?

Sessions are offered in English.

Can international clients work with her?

Yes.

How much do sessions cost?

Costs vary with location and sessions use a subscription that can be cancelled at any time.

How do I get started with her?

Use the Talk to a counsellor online button, complete the short matching questionnaire and then schedule a first session.