- Years in practice
- 10
- Registration
- BACP
- Languages
- English
- Focus
- Stress, Anxiety
- Focus
- Relationship issues
- Focus
- Family conflicts
About Paula
Paula Smyton is a UK counsellor with around 10 years of experience in counselling services, education, mental health settings and independent practice. She holds BACP accreditation, and she combines psychodynamic thinking with integrative methods to suit each person's needs. Paula aims to make the first step into therapy feel straightforward and achievable.
Paula often meets people who have been managing on their own for a long time. They may look fine on the outside while privately coping with anxiety, low mood, stress, family tensions, loss, or relationship problems.
Background and approach
She offers a calm space to pause, sort through what feels overwhelming, and start to make sense of it all. Her core approach draws on psychodynamic ideas about how early experiences and relationship patterns shape present-day feelings and reactions. She also uses client-centred ideas to keep sessions warm and collaborative.
Cognitive and practical methods are added when they suit the person’s goals. Sessions focus on what matters to the individual - relationships, parenting pressures, work stress, grief, and life transitions are common topics. Paula listens for recurring patterns and helps people notice how past and present link together.
This can open up new ways of responding and clearer choices for moving forward. People do not need to arrive with ready-made goals or the right words. Paula works at a steady pace and adapts the style to what feels most helpful.
Her aim is to help people feel less alone with what they are carrying and to find clearer, more manageable next steps.
What Paula works with
Everything Paula lists, in their own terms. Parenting is the reason this directory exists; the rest shows what else Paula helps people with.
- Stress, Anxiety
- Relationship issues
- Family conflicts
- Parenting issues
- Depression
- LGBT
- Trauma and abuse
- Grief
- Intimacy-related issues
- Eating disorders
- Sleeping disorders
- Anger management
- Self esteem
- Career difficulties
- Bipolar disorder
- Coping with life changes
Approaches Paula lists
- Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT)
- Client-Centred Therapy
- Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT)
- Dialectical Behaviour Therapy (DBT)
- Psychodynamic Therapy
- Solution-Focused Therapy
Listing an approach is not evidence of training in it. This directory copies what each counsellor names and does not check training records.
How Paula’s approaches work online
Paula uses psychodynamic ideas to look at how past relationships influence present feelings and reactions. This approach helps when recurring patterns in close relationships, parenting or self-view are causing distress. It encourages reflection and understanding over time.She also draws on client-centred therapy which keeps the work warm and person-led. That means the therapist follows the person's pace, listens without judgement and helps them find their own solutions. Cognitive behavioural therapy is used when practical strategies are needed to manage anxiety, mood or sleep challenges through small, doable steps.
Finding the right mix of approaches is part of the work. Paula will discuss goals, preferences and what feels most helpful, then tailor sessions accordingly. This happens collaboratively, so people can try different ways of working and adjust as needed.
Online therapy offers flexible options to fit real life. Video calls allow face-to-face conversation and visual feedback. Phone sessions are useful when video is not possible or when a shorter check-in is needed. Live chat and text-based messaging work well for brief reflections, notes between sessions or for people who prefer writing. These formats make it easier to get support around work, parenting or travel commitments while keeping therapy manageable and consistent.
Questions people ask about Paula
What concerns does Paula help with?
She works with a wide range of issues including stress, anxiety, depression, relationship and family difficulties, parenting pressures, grief, trauma, eating and sleeping problems, anger, self-esteem and coping with life changes.
How would you describe her therapeutic style?
Paula uses a warm, thoughtful and client-centred manner. Her work blends psychodynamic exploration with practical, goal-focused techniques so sessions can feel both reflective and action-orientated.
What is her professional background?
She has around 10 years of experience working across counselling services, education, mental health settings and independent practice, supporting people with emotional and relational difficulties.
Where is she based and what credential does she hold?
Paula is based in the United Kingdom and holds BACP accreditation as shown in her professional details.
Which languages are supported and can she work internationally?
Sessions are offered in English and she accepts international clients as part of her practice.
What session formats are available online?
She offers video calls, phone sessions, live chat and text-based messaging to suit different needs and schedules.
How does payment and cost work?
Cost varies with location and the subscription model used by the service; sessions operate via a subscription that can be cancelled at any time.
How do I begin working with Paula?
Start by selecting the Start Therapy button, complete a short matching questionnaire, and then schedule sessions according to the therapist's availability.
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