Philip Smyth, BACP

Philip Smyth is a counsellor with a BACP accreditation and four years of practice. He moved into therapy after personal challenges showed him the value of talking things through. He now helps people facing stress, anxiety, depression and low self-esteem. He also supports those dealing with relationship strain, grief and faith-related concerns.

Philip draws on a mixture of methods to suit different needs. He uses Client-Centred work to create a calm space where people lead the pace. He also uses Cognitive Behavioural Therapy to help spot and change unhelpful thoughts and habits. For couples, he draws on approaches designed to improve communication and rebuild trust.

Sessions aim to be straightforward and practical. Philip focuses on day-to-day steps people can try between meetings. He also helps clients make sense of patterns from the past that affect current relationships and choices. He works collaboratively, asking what matters most and shaping sessions around those goals.

People come to Philip for many issues including addiction, parenting stresses, intimacy problems, infertility worries, career change and anger. He is experienced with attachment difficulties, avoidant personality patterns and struggles around guilt and shame. He will listen without judgement and help people choose small, manageable next steps.

Philip offers therapy in English and is listed as accepting international clients. To begin, clients complete a short matching questionnaire then schedule sessions according to availability. He encourages people to take that first step and will work alongside them as they make changes.

How Philip’s approaches work online and in conversation

Client-Centred Therapy focuses on creating a respectful space where the client sets the pace and topics. It helps people who need someone to listen and reflect back what matters most to them, often useful for grief, stress and low self-worth.

Cognitive Behavioural Therapy, or CBT, looks at how thoughts, feelings and actions link together. It helps by identifying unhelpful thinking patterns and testing small behaviour changes, which can be useful for anxiety, depression and coping with life changes.

The Gottman and Imago approaches that Philip uses are aimed at improving how partners communicate and rebuild trust. These methods teach concrete skills that couples can practise between sessions to strengthen emotional connection and manage conflict.

Finding the right approach is part of the work. Philip will collaborate with each person to choose methods that fit their goals and preferences. He checks in regularly and adapts the plan as needs change, so therapy is a shared process rather than a fixed programme.

The biography notes both face-to-face and online experience, but current session formats should be confirmed before booking. Online therapy can make it easier to fit sessions into a busy life, reduce travel time and allow shorter check-ins when needed. Registered or accredited professionals often find it a practical way to keep continuity of care across locations.