What type of counselling does Smart Clinic offer?

Smart Clinic offers short-term person-centred counselling.  All counselling sessions are client, rather than therapist led.  Your counsellor can help you to explore your feelings in relation to a specific problem or difficulty you are facing and focus on making changes.  The counsellor will offer a non-judgemental space where you can feel valued and respected. 

What is short term counselling?

Short term counselling is a talking therapy which allows you to explore your feelings and thoughts in relation to specific problem you are currently facing with the help of a professional counsellor. The counsellor will help you to focus your thoughts and feelings and explore what these personally mean to you.  Counselling can help you to gain a better understanding of yourself, or your situation.  Counselling does not focus on past issues.

Why do Smart Clinic complete an assessment?

Smart Clinic conduct an assessment for several reasons; this is mainly to ensure that short-term person-centred counselling is a suitable option for you.  As counselling involves the exploration of difficult and often painful emotions, it is important to ensure a clinically safe and ethical service to clients.  Smart Clinic follow National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) guidance stepped-care model to ensure suitability for short term interventions.  Where short-term interventions are not recommended, Smart Clinic will endeavour to offer signposting to more clinically suitable services.

Are sessions confidential?

All assessments and sessions are confidential; however, confidentiality can only be assured where there is no threat of harm to yourself or any third parties.

How long will the sessions last?

Sessions last for up to 50 minutes.  This includes 5 minutes for arranging a next session (where applicable).  Sessions will take place on a regular, usually weekly, basis.

Are there any expectations?

Smart Clinic want you to benefit from services offered to you and assure a professional and ethical service.  However, counselling requires a personal commitment on your part to engage fully in the therapeutic work, and of time; therefore, we ask that you ensure adequate privacy and availability for sessions.  Smart Clinic request that you give a minimum of 24 hours’ notice should you need to cancel or reschedule a session, and whilst we understand that things pop up from time to time, should you reschedule sessions on more than two occasions, we will request that you re-refer at a time when sessions are more achievable for you.  Should you fail to attend a session without giving cancellation notice, Smart Clinic will close your case, with any remaining sessions being forfeited. 

Important things to consider:

Counselling is not just talking or offloading

Counselling is a professional and structured process with a focus on growth and change.  Clients often look for a place to talk about their thoughts, feelings and situation, however, may not need to enter a clinical process of counselling, often because they are not seeking a process of change; rather a confidential space to feel heard and supported.  Smart Clinic offer their helpline, which is available 24/7/365 on 0845 862 2113.  Additionally, you may access the Wellbeing hub provided by our employee assistance partner, Health Hero.  You may request a call from a counsellor (up to 30 minute duration) via the Health Hero Wellbeing hub, which can be accessed here  which may provide a helpful solution when looking to engage with a process of support rather than a professional process of change.

To create a new account, your organisation’s username is SmartClinic

and your organisation’s password is EAPsupport

Alternatively, your assessment session bookable via your Smart Clinic client area may provide you with sufficient support and information that you do not feel it necessary to proceed to counselling sessions at that time. 

 Counselling is not psychotherapy

Whilst both counselling and psychotherapy are talking therapies, they differ in scope, duration and the depth of exploration they undertake in addressing emotional difficulties.  Psychotherapy is usually offered over a longer-term basis, and explores deeper emotional, behavioural, and psychological patterns.  Psychotherapy often explores the root causes of problems, often stemming from past or childhood experiences, whereas counselling has firm footings with present issues, exploring feelings and thoughts in the “here and now” arising from current and present problems.  The focus with counselling is on examining the personal meanings of those feelings, facilitating the capacity for change and growth. 

Counselling is not cognitive behavioural therapy

Counselling focuses on understanding and exploring emotions relating to a current problem, whereas cognitive behavioural therapy is a structured, solution focused approach which examines how thought processes contribute to emotional distress and behavioural difficulties.  Cognitive behavioural therapy seeks to identify and change negative thought patterns and behaviours.  Cognitive behavioural therapy is a directive, goal oriented, psycho-educative model of therapy which facilitates new skills and coping techniques to challenge and transform current thinking patterns.

If you think that cognitive behavioural therapy might better suit your needs, Smart Clinic can offer access to our online cognitive behavioural therapy (cCBT) course for 12 months as an alternative to counselling sessions.

What about trauma?

Individuals having experienced or been exposed to any kind of trauma require a trauma informed approach to therapy.  Trauma can affect individuals in many ways, and it is imperative that the therapy approach avoids re-traumatisation.  Smart Clinic follow NICE guidance and recommends Step 4 specialist intervention services available via NHS talking therapy services. 

Do Smart Clinic offer specialist counselling services?

Smart Clinic offer short term counselling and interventions i.e., step 1 (self-help) and step 2 (low intensity) interventions.  Should you require longer term counselling, cognitive behavioural therapy, psychotherapy, specialist support or crisis intervention, Smart Clinic are unable to provide these services.