Ian Smith, BACP
Ian Smith helps people who are feeling overwhelmed by stress, anxiety, addiction or relationship pain.
- Stress & Anxiety
- Addictions
- Relationship issues
- +18 more
About Ian
Ian Smith helps people who are feeling overwhelmed by stress, anxiety, addiction or relationship pain. He works with individuals facing depression, ADHD, grief, trauma and issues around intimacy and self‑esteem. He is a BACP counsellor with ten years of experience in mental health and social services across the United Kingdom.
He keeps early sessions straightforward. He listens to what a person is finding hard right now. He aims to build on what already works in someone’s life and to agree small, practical steps together.
Background and approach
Ian uses approaches that focus on values, emotional connection and practical skills. He draws on Acceptance and Commitment Therapy, Attachment‑Based ideas and Cognitive Behavioural tools, among others. That mix helps with emotion regulation, unhelpful thinking and patterns that repeat across relationships.
Sessions can look like talking through recent events, learning new coping skills, or testing different ways of responding in everyday situations. He offers a calm, non‑judgmental space and will adapt the pace to each person’s needs. Ian also supports people dealing with specialised concerns such as adoption and foster care, bereavement, chronic illness, body image, sexuality and kink‑aware issues.
He brings practical problem solving to issues like sleep, eating, parenting stress and career worries. People who prefer digital contact can work with him online. He accepts international clients and runs video calls, phone sessions, live chat or text‑based messaging to match different needs and schedules.
Registration
| Body | Registration number | Expires |
|---|---|---|
| BACP | 386318 | November 2026 |
Registration details are as listed on the counsellor's public profile. You can check any number with the registering body.
Sessions and payment
Sessions are held online through our partner platform, by video, phone or messaging depending on the counsellor.
Costs are shown on the partner platform before you commit. If cost is a concern, ask about reduced-fee options.
Focus areas and approaches
What Ian works with
Everything Ian lists, in their own terms.
- Stress, Anxiety
- Addictions
- Relationship issues
- Depression
- ADHD
- LGBT
- Family conflicts
- Trauma and abuse
- Grief
- Intimacy-related issues
- Eating disorders
- Sleeping disorders
- Parenting issues
- Anger management
- Self esteem
- Career difficulties
- Bipolar disorder
- Coping with life changes
- Coaching
- Compassion fatigue
- Abandonment
- Adoption and foster care
- Aging and geriatric issues
- Antisocial personality
- Attachment issues
- Autism and Asperger Syndrome
- Avoidant personality
- BDSM, kink, and alternative sex culture
- Blended family issues
- Body image
- Cancer
- Caregiver issues and stress
- Chronic pain, illness, and disability
- Co-morbidity
- Codependency
- Commitment issues
- Communication problems
- Control issues
- Coping with natural or human-caused disaster
- Dependent personality
- Disruptive Mood Dysregulation Disorder (DMDD)
- Dissociation
- Divorce and separation
- Domestic violence
- Drug and alcohol addiction
- Eating and food-related issues
- Emptiness
- Family of origin issues
- Family problems
- Fatherhood issues
- Fertility issues
- First responder issues
- Forgiveness
- Gender dysphoria
- Guilt and shame
- Hoarding
- Hospice and end-of-life counselling
- Immigration issues
- Impulsivity
- Infidelity
- Isolation / loneliness
- Jealousy
- Life purpose
- Men's issues
- Midlife crisis
- Veteran and Armed Forces Issues
- Money and financial issues
- Mood disorders
- Multicultural concerns
- Narcissism
- Obsessions, compulsions, and OCD
- Panic disorder and panic attacks
- Paranoia
- Personality disorders
- Phobias
- Polyamory / non-monogamous relationships
- Postpartum depression
- Post-traumatic stress
- Pregnancy and childbirth
- Prejudice and discrimination
- Process addiction (porn, exercise, gambling)
- Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD)
- Self-harm
- Self-love
- Sex addiction
- Sexual assault and abuse
- Sexual dysfunction
- Sexuality
- Smoking / vaping cessation
- Social anxiety and phobia
- Traumatic brain injury
- Women's issues
- Workplace issues
- Young adult issues
Approaches Ian lists
- Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT)
- Attachment-Based Therapy
- Client-Centred Therapy
- Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT)
- Dialectical Behaviour Therapy (DBT)
- Emotionally-Focused Therapy (EFT)
- Mindfulness Therapy
- Motivational Interviewing
- Narrative Therapy
- Psychodynamic Therapy
- Solution-Focused Therapy
- Trauma-Focused Therapy
- Internal Family Systems
Listing an approach is not evidence of training in it. This directory copies what each counsellor names and does not check training records.
Online support
Attachment‑Based Therapy looks at how early relationship patterns affect current connections. It helps people understand why they react a certain way in close relationships and practice new ways of relating when emotions run high.
Cognitive Behavioural Therapy, or CBT, offers practical tools to spot and change unhelpful thinking and behaviour. It is often used for anxiety, low mood and sleep or eating difficulties and teaches skills you can use between sessions.
Ian approaches choice of method as a joint decision. He will talk with each person about their goals and preferences and then help pick or blend approaches that fit. The plan can change as progress is made or new needs appear.
Online sessions are offered by video call, phone, live chat or text‑based messaging. Video is useful for full conversations and skill work. Phone sessions can be a quicker check in or suit people with lower bandwidth. Live chat and text are handy for short check ins, ongoing reflections or when writing helps clarify thoughts. These options make therapy easier to fit around work, family and travel while keeping the focus on practical progress and emotional insight.
Frequently asked
What concerns does Ian commonly help with?
He works with stress, anxiety, addiction, depression and relationship difficulties. He also supports people with ADHD, grief, trauma, intimacy issues and a wide range of other concerns listed in his profile.
What is his general therapeutic style?
His style is collaborative and practical. He listens first, then co‑creates goals and small steps that fit the person’s life.
How much experience does he have?
He has ten years of experience working in social services and mental health settings across the United Kingdom.
What credential does he hold and where is he based?
He is registered with the British Association for Counselling and Psychotherapy, listed as BACP, and practises from the United Kingdom.
Which languages and client locations are supported?
Sessions are offered in English and he accepts international clients.
What session formats are offered?
He runs video calls, phone sessions, live chat and text‑based messaging to suit different preferences and schedules.
How much do sessions cost?
Cost varies by location and therapist availability; sessions use a subscription model that can be cancelled at any time.
How do I begin working with him?
Click the Start Therapy button, complete a short matching questionnaire, and schedule a session according to the therapist’s availability.
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