- Warm and thoughtful
- Relationship focus
- Practical reflection
About Paula
Paula Smyton is a UK counsellor with around 10 years of experience in counselling, education and mental health settings. She holds BACP, which indicates affiliation with the British Association for Counselling and Psychotherapy. Paula works with people who are carrying stress, anxiety, relationship and family concerns, parenting pressures, loss, or a persistent sense that something feels off.
Many clients arrive feeling emotionally tired or overwhelmed by several problems at once. Paula aims to provide a calm and supportive space where those feelings can be named and examined. She encourages people to pause and reflect rather than rush toward fixes.
Her main base is psychodynamic therapy, which looks at how past experiences and repeated relationship patterns influence present feelings and choices. She combines this with integrative methods such as client-centred approaches and solution-focused ideas so sessions can be shaped around each person's needs.
In practical terms Paula focuses a lot on relationships - with partners, family members, friends, colleagues and with oneself. Conversations often look at recurring patterns, emotional responses, and how everyday stresses affect mood and behaviour. Paula aims to help people make sense of what they are feeling and find clearer ways to move forward.
She describes her way of working as warm, thoughtful and respectful. People do not need to arrive with answers or clear goals; initial sessions can simply be a place to be listened to and begin unpacking what has been difficult.
How Paula’s approaches translate to online therapy
Psychodynamic therapy focuses on how past events and relationship patterns shape current feelings. Online sessions using this approach typically involve reflective conversation about recurring dynamics and how they show up now. Cognitive Behavioural Therapy, when used alongside, looks at practical patterns of thought and behaviour to identify small changes that can help with anxiety, sleep, eating and low mood.Finding the right approach is part of the work. Paula will collaborate with each person to choose which methods to bring into the sessions based on presenting concerns, goals and preferences. That collaborative process helps shape whether conversations stay reflective, more skills-based, or a mixture of both.
The practical benefits of online therapy often include easier fitting of sessions into a busy week and the ability to join from different locations. Some people prefer shorter check-ins that do not require video, while others choose a full session with visual contact; the biography does not list specific formats, so confirm current session options before booking. Overall, online work can make it simpler to maintain regular contact and to continue therapeutic momentum alongside everyday life.
Areas of expertise
Primary focus
Also works with
Therapeutic approaches
Experience
10+ years
Listed in
United Kingdom
Languages
English
Frequently asked questions
What kinds of concerns does Paula work with?
She supports people with stress, anxiety, depression, grief, relationship and family issues, parenting pressures, trauma and abuse, and other emotional or life challenges listed on her profile.
What is her therapeutic style like?
Her approach is warm and thoughtful, combining psychodynamic listening with client-centred and solution-focused ideas to tailor sessions to the person’s needs.
How much experience does she have?
Paula has around 10 years of experience working across counselling services, education, mental health settings and private practice.
What credential does she hold and where is she based?
She is affiliated with BACP and works from the United Kingdom.
Which languages are sessions offered in?
Sessions are offered in English and she accepts international clients.
What session formats are available?
The original biography does not specify session formats; please confirm current session options before booking.
How are fees and payment handled?
Costs vary with location and therapist availability; sessions use a subscription that can be cancelled at any time.
How do I begin working with her?
Choose the Start Therapy button, complete a short matching questionnaire, and schedule sessions according to the therapist’s availability.