Kate Oliver-Smith
Practical, empathic counselling for real-life change
About Kate
Kate Oliver-Smith is a psychotherapeutic counsellor with 13 years of experience. She draws on a background in human resources to help people sort out personal and workplace difficulties. Kate uses practical, down-to-earth conversation to help people set realistic goals and make steady changes.
Her earlier HR roles involved mediation, coaching and one-to-one support. That work shaped how she listens and responds now in counselling sessions. She combines that experience with therapeutic methods she studied later in her career.
Background and approach
Kate works in a warm and approachable style. Sessions are non-judgemental and focused on what a person wants to achieve. She aims to adapt the pace and techniques to each person’s needs rather than follow a single formula.
Her practice covers a wide range of concerns, including stress, anxiety, depression, addictions, relationship and intimacy issues, grief and parenting strains. She also supports people with body image, attachment and commitment concerns, chronic illness and caregiver stress. Kate uses a mix of client-centred listening, cognitive behavioural ideas and psychodynamic thinking, along with motivational interviewing and existential reflection when helpful.
In sessions she encourages practical steps, clearer thinking and space to talk about feelings. Clients can expect a collaborative process that focuses on small, manageable changes. Sessions are offered in English and are available to people in the United Kingdom and internationally.
Kate accepts several online formats so people can choose what fits their life and schedule.
What Kate works with
How Kate works
Listed by Kate among the ways they work.
Listed by Kate among the ways they work.
Listed by Kate among the ways they work.
Listed by Kate among the ways they work.
Listed by Kate among the ways they work.
Listed by Kate among the ways they work.
Sessions & fees
Approaches that guide online counselling
Client-centred therapy focuses on listening and building understanding. The counsellor reflects what a person says and helps them clarify their own goals and values, which can help with low self-esteem and relationship concerns.Cognitive behavioural therapy, or CBT, looks at thoughts and behaviours that keep problems going. It offers practical strategies to reduce anxiety, manage mood and change unhelpful habits through short exercises and small experiments.
Psychodynamic therapy explores patterns from past relationships that influence current feelings and reactions. It can help people make sense of recurring difficulties and improve how they relate to others.
Finding the right approach is part of the work. The counsellor will talk through preferences, goals and what feels useful, then adapt methods together. That collaborative decision helps shape a plan that fits each person’s situation and pace.
Online sessions can make therapy easier to fit into life. Video calls let people see facial cues and work through material in depth. Phone sessions use less bandwidth and can be simpler for brief check-ins. Live chat or text-based messaging suits quick updates, reflective journalling or shorter conversations between longer sessions. These options give flexibility so people can choose what works best for them.
| Session length | Typically 50 minutes |
|---|---|
| Client ages | Adults, 18 and over |
| Fees | Subscription via BetterHelp, cancel anytime |
| Insurance | Not billed directly |
Questions people ask
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Areas of focus
What this therapist works with
Most often
- Stress, Anxiety
- Relationship issues
- Grief
Also listed
- Abandonment
- Addictions
- ADHD
- Adoption and foster care
- Anger management
- Attachment issues
- Body image
- Cancer
- Career difficulties
- Caregiver issues and stress
- Chronic pain, illness, and disability
- Coaching
- Codependency
- Commitment issues
- Communication problems
- Control issues
- Coping with life changes
- Dependent personality
- Depression
- Dissociation
- Divorce and separation
- Domestic violence
- Emptiness
- Family conflicts
- Family problems
- Forgiveness
- Guilt and shame
- Hospice and end-of-life counselling
- Infidelity
- Intimacy-related issues
- Isolation / loneliness
- Jealousy
- LGBT
- Life purpose
- Midlife crisis
- Money and financial issues
- Mood disorders
- Narcissism
- Obsessions, compulsions, and OCD
- Panic disorder and panic attacks
- Parenting issues
- Personality disorders
- Phobias
- Post-traumatic stress
- Postpartum depression
- Pregnancy and childbirth
- Prejudice and discrimination
- Process addiction (porn, exercise, gambling)
- Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD)
- Self esteem
- Self-harm
- Self-love
- Sleeping disorders
- Social anxiety and phobia
- Trauma and abuse
- Veteran and Armed Forces Issues
- Women's issues
- Workplace issues
- Young adult issues
Therapeutic approaches
- Experience
- 13 years
- Registered with
- NCPS
- Languages
- English
