Ilona Smith, BACP

Ilona Smith helps people facing stress, anxiety, depression, trauma and abuse, grief, and intimacy-related issues. She is a BACP counsellor with sixteen years of experience working as a therapist in the United Kingdom. Ilona aims to meet each person with respect, sensitivity and compassion. She speaks English and accepts international clients.

Ilona shapes conversations and plans around what each person needs. She uses clear, practical steps and also listens patiently to the story behind the problem. Work in sessions can include noticing unhelpful thoughts, practising calmer responses, and trying new ways of relating to others.

Her approach draws on several frameworks. Client-Centred Therapy keeps the focus on the person's perspective and choices. Cognitive Behavioural Therapy helps identify and change thought patterns that fuel anxiety or low mood. Mindfulness techniques support grounding and present-moment awareness, and Solution-Focused Therapy looks for small, achievable changes.

People often seek Ilona's help for issues tied to attachment, abandonment, commitment and communication difficulties. She also supports those coping with dissociation, domestic violence, guilt and shame, loneliness, life purpose and midlife transitions. Sessions are tailored to the specific concern and pace of the person attending.

Ilona encourages people to recognise the courage in starting therapy and works collaboratively to set goals. She asks questions, offers practical tools, and reviews progress so plans can be adjusted as needed.

Approaches that inform online work

Client-Centred Therapy puts the person's experience at the centre. The therapist listens, reflects and helps the person make choices that fit their life. Cognitive Behavioural Therapy looks at how thoughts and behaviours keep problems going and offers practical exercises to change them. Existential Therapy helps people explore meaning, responsibility and life direction when facing big questions or midlife shifts.

Finding the right approach is part of the work. The therapist will discuss goals, preferences and what feels most useful, then try methods that suit the person. This is a collaborative process and plans are adjusted as progress is made.

The biography does not list specific session formats, so please confirm current options before booking. Online work can make it easier to fit therapy around busy days, reduce travel time and allow shorter check-ins when needed. It can also let people meet from different locations, which helps if someone is based abroad.