Jessica "Jess" Smith, BACP

Jessica "Jess" Smith works with people who are dealing with stress, anxiety, relationship strain, family problems, low self-esteem and ADHD. She introduces herself plainly and aims to make first steps feel manageable. Her name appears up front so newcomers know who they will meet at the first session.

Jess keeps sessions warm and straightforward. She listens with a client-centred focus and helps people name what is worrying them. Conversations are guided by the person in the room, while the counsellor offers gentle challenges and practical ways to try things differently.

Her approach mixes talking therapies and skills-based work. Cognitive Behavioural Therapy, mindfulness and emotionally-focused ideas are used to spot unhelpful patterns and to build new coping strategies. Jungian perspectives are sometimes brought in to look at deeper themes and personal meaning.

Sessions aim to be calm and paced to each person. Jess supports people working through issues such as attachment and abandonment, body image, caregiver stress, communication problems, commitment concerns and the effects of separation. She also offers help around aspects of sexuality including BDSM and alternative sex culture, and around autism and avoidant personality patterns.

Jess holds BACP as a listed credential. She works from the United Kingdom and offers sessions in English. With three years' experience, she focuses on practical steps and clearer thinking, while allowing space to reflect and feel.

How therapy approaches translate to online care

Client-Centred Therapy places the person at the heart of the work, so an online session focuses on listening, reflecting and following the client's concerns. It helps when someone needs a space to be heard and to make sense of feelings. Cognitive Behavioural Therapy, or CBT, looks at thoughts and actions and teaches practical techniques to change unhelpful patterns, which suits short tasks and worksheets that work well over video or messaging.

Finding the right approach is part of the work together. Jess will discuss goals and preferences, and they will choose ways of working that feel helpful. That may mean trying a few methods and adjusting as the person notices what helps most; the process is collaborative and paced to the client's needs.

Online therapy offers flexibility in how and when people meet. Video calls enable a fuller conversational experience, phone sessions use less bandwidth and can be easier to fit into a busy day, while live chat or text messaging suit shorter check-ins or when typing feels easier. These options make it simpler to keep continuity of care and to fit sessions around work, caregiving or travel commitments.