Heather Smith

Are You Constantly Battling Negative Self-Talk?

Do you find yourself feeling overwhelmed by a critical inner voice that makes you feel not good enough, anxious, or trapped in negative thought patterns? You're not alone, and help is available.

I am a BACP Accredited Counsellor based in Shevington in Wigan who has been practicing for over ten years, both online and face to face.

I specialize in supporting individuals who are struggling with an overactive inner critic—whether it's self-doubt, perfectionism, anxiety, or shame. Through Compassion Focused Therapy (CFT), I offer a compassionate, evidence-based approach to help you transform that critical inner voice into a source of support and kindness.

I believe that the key to emotional healing is through developing a compassionate and understanding relationship with ourselves. Using Compassion-Focused Therapy, I work with clients to identify the origins of their critical inner voice and transform it into a kinder, more supportive dialogue. Together, we will explore how past experiences shape your inner critic, and through CFT techniques, replace harsh self-judgment with understanding and empathy.

I am committed to guiding you through a healing journey where you can rediscover self-acceptance, build emotional resilience, and break free from patterns of self-criticism. Whether you’re dealing with anxiety, low self-esteem, or trauma, my goal is to create a safe, empathetic space for your growth and healing.

Remember, this is your time and investment in yourself, so choosing the right therapist is vital. I offer a free 30 minute consultation, which will give you the opportunity to learn more about how I work and what to expect from counselling with me, and hopefully put you at ease a little as you embark on your counselling journey.

Ultimately, counselling is an investment in yourself, and it is one of the most and important investments you can make.

I offer a no-obligation 30 minute consultation, which is at no charge to you. This time will give you the opportunity to share your story with me, learn more about the way I work, and will help you work out if my style of counselling is right for you.

Online and face to face supervision available.

I believe in the value of supervision which, when we might feel stuck, offers space to sit and connect with another, who will gently support and challenge us to grow, bringing new meaning and clarity to our work. I will facilitate this by drawing upon my own experience, and by the use of collaborative contracting and evaluation methods. However, it is our relationship that will always supersede technique and, by exploring what emerges in the moment together, we can experience truly transformative conversations.

The models of supervision that I use means that I can supervise most modalities of counselling, including PCT, Psychodynamic, TA, Existential and Compassion Focused Therapy.  

Supervision can often feel challenging and we can keenly feel the vulnerability of the process. I bring compassion and humility to the supervisory relationship where we will aim to find the courage together to turn towards those times where we may struggle, with the wisdom and willingness to work to find clarity together.

I am accredited with the BACP and I hold a Post Graduate Certificate in Clinical Supervision from The University of Derby.  I have experience within organisations offering individual and group supervision.  Additionally, I am a tutor of counselling, teaching the Level 6 Diploma in supervision.

It is important to find a supervisor with whom you feel comfortable and who you feel will be able to support your professional goals. There is the opportunity for us to have a 30 minute ‘discovery’ call, via Zoom, where we can get to know one another a little more and talk through your goals for supervision. Please contact me if you would like to arrange a call.

Additionally, you may wish to visit my website to find out more about my practice.