Kate Oliver-Smith, NCPS

Kate Oliver-Smith is a psychotherapeutic counsellor with 13 years of experience. She began her career in Human Resources, supporting people and teams with mediation, coaching and counselling. That background led her to train in psychotherapy, cognitive behavioural methods and person-centred work. Kate presents as warm, down to earth and approachable and aims to help people set realistic, achievable goals.

Her style is practical and straightforward. Sessions focus on what the client wants to change, with conversations that look at thoughts, feelings and behaviour. She listens without judgement and adapts her way of working to each person rather than following a fixed script.

Kate draws on a mix of approaches to suit different problems. Cognitive Behavioural Therapy helps with unhelpful thinking and behaviour patterns. Client-Centred Therapy gives space for the person to lead the pace and topics. Psychodynamic ideas can help people understand patterns rooted in past experience.

She has experience supporting a wide range of concerns, including anxiety, depression, addictions, grief, self-esteem and relationship difficulties. Additional areas she works with include attachment and abandonment issues, adoption and foster care, chronic illness and caregiving stress, and intimacy-related problems.

Sessions are collaborative and goal-focused. Kate uses her HR experience when people need practical strategies for workplace or career challenges. People who prefer a friendly, down-to-earth counsellor who combines practical tools with reflective listening may find her approach helpful.

How her approaches work for online therapy

Client-Centred Therapy focuses on listening and following the person's lead. In practice that means the counsellor offers an accepting, non-judgemental space and helps the client explore what matters most to them. This approach suits people who want time to reflect and make their own decisions.

Cognitive Behavioural Therapy looks at the links between thoughts, feelings and actions. It uses practical exercises and simple experiments to test unhelpful thoughts and build different habits. This approach is often used for anxiety, low mood and stress because it gives clear tools to try between sessions.

Finding the right mix of approaches is part of the work. The therapist will talk with the client about goals, preferences and what has or hasn't helped before. Together they decide which methods to use and adjust them as progress is made.

Session logistics should be confirmed before booking because formats are not specified in the profile. Online sessions can make it easier to fit counseling into a busy week, reduce travel time and allow for shorter check-ins when needed. Ask about the available session options when you arrange your first appointment.