Rachel Smitheman, BACP

Rachel Smitheman is a person-centred counsellor who qualified in the United Kingdom in 2020 and holds BACP accreditation. She has five years of professional experience and uses a gentle, respectful approach. Rachel's pronouns are she/her and she aims to make starting therapy feel as straightforward as possible.

She focuses on common concerns such as stress, anxiety, depression, low self-esteem and coping with life changes. She also supports people dealing with relationship difficulties, communication problems and midlife questions. Other areas Rachel addresses include chronic pain, illness and disability, caregiver stress, body image and feelings of isolation.

Rachel works in a person-centred way, offering an empathic space where the client leads the pace. Sessions centre on listening, understanding and reflecting back what matters to the individual. The counsellor aims to help people clarify what is causing distress and to find practical steps forward that feel manageable.

Her style tends to be warm, patient and non-judgemental. She recognises that starting therapy takes courage and keeps the tone plain and direct. People who prefer to be met with kindness and straightforward conversation often find this approach helpful.

Rachel accepts clients internationally and conducts work in English. To begin, clients follow a short matching questionnaire and arrange sessions based on the therapist's schedule and the site's booking process.

How Rachel uses person-centred work online

Person-centred therapy focuses on listening, empathy and meeting each person where they are. The counsellor reflects back what the client says, helps them make sense of their feelings and supports them to decide what changes to try. This approach is often helpful for anxiety, depression, low self-esteem and coping with major life changes.

Rachel's way of working is collaborative. She will talk with the client about what matters to them and together decide which methods to try. Finding the right approach is part of the work - she adapts the pace and focus based on the client's goals and preferences rather than applying a fixed plan.

The original biography does not list specific online session formats, so please confirm the options before booking. Online therapy can make it easier to fit appointments into a busy week, reduce travel time and allow people to take shorter check-ins when needed. It can also help people access a counsellor who works in the person-centred way they prefer, even if that counsellor is not local.