Debbie Smith Counselling
Trauma-Informed Counselling | Thornbury & North Bristol
A safe space to pause, explore and reconnect
Perhaps something has happened that has changed how you see yourself or the world around you.
A relationship has ended. You have experienced loss. You are navigating a life transition. Something from your past has resurfaced and you want to understand its impact.
Or perhaps there isn’t one clear reason you have found yourself here.
Maybe there is a quiet sense that something doesn’t feel right. You feel disconnected from yourself, overwhelmed, stuck, or unsure of what you need.
Sometimes we reach a point where we begin to wonder:
*Why do I feel this way?
*Why do I keep responding like this?
*How did I lose touch with myself?
Counselling can offer a space to slow down and explore these questions.
A space where you can begin to understand your experiences with curiosity and compassion. My hope is that therapy becomes a place where you feel heard, understood and truly seen.
The Cove Approach
Safety. Connection. Curiosity.
The image of a cove reflects how I understand the counselling relationship: a place where we can pause, feel safe enough to explore, and reconnect with ourselves.
Life can sometimes feel a little like being at sea. There are times when the water feels calm and we can move through life with ease, and there are times when the weather changes, the waves become stronger, and we may need somewhere to pause and find our bearings.
A cove is not separate from the sea. The waves still come, the weather still changes, and life continues around it. But it offers a place to pause, rest and gather yourself.
I think therapy can be like this.
A space where you don’t have to rush or pretend. A space where difficult thoughts, emotions and experiences can be explored gently and at your own pace.
Safety is at the heart of this.
As my supervisor once said:
“You can’t take risks if you don’t feel safe.”
Therapy can involve taking risks. It might mean saying something out loud for the first time, exploring a painful memory, noticing a feeling you’ve pushed away, or seeing yourself with more honesty and compassion.
The relationship we build together creates the foundation for this work.
I work with curiosity rather than judgement. Together we can explore your experiences, notice patterns, listen to different parts of yourself, and create space for awareness, choice and change.
Hello, I’m Debbie
I’m a qualified integrative counsellor based in Thornbury, South Gloucestershire
My journey into counselling began through my own experience of therapy.
Around ten years ago, during a difficult period in my life, I found myself needing support. Therapy was challenging, but it also changed the direction of my life.
It helped me understand myself differently, process painful experiences, develop compassion towards myself and others, and find the confidence to make different choices.
That experience stayed with me.
Before becoming a counsellor, I worked in the NHS, where I valued the opportunity to support people. I have always been drawn to people’s stories and the experiences that shape who they are.
Alongside this, I built a creative business making memory quilts. For many years I have had the privilege of working with people’s precious clothing and memories, creating something meaningful from their stories.
This love of connection, creativity and people’s experiences eventually led me towards counselling. I trained as a psychotherapeutic counsellor, completing my MA in Counselling and Psychotherapy at UWE Bristol.
During my training, I discovered how much I value the simple act of sitting alongside someone: listening, being present and creating a space where they feel heard and understood.
My approach is integrative, drawing primarily on person-centred and Gestalt approaches.
As an integrative counsellor, I draw on different approaches to support your individual needs. My work is grounded primarily in person-centred and Gestalt approaches, with emphasis on trauma-informed and relational dynamics. I pay attention not only to what is being said, but also what is happening beneath the surface — emotions, body responses, patterns and the relationship we build together.
I don’t believe people are broken. I believe our responses often make sense when we understand the experiences that shaped them.
Working together
Starting counselling can feel like a big step.
You may be wondering what you will say, or whether it will feel awkward. You don’t need to prepare anything. You just need to turn up, exactly as you are.
Our first session is a chance for us to meet, for you to share a little of what’s brought you here, and for me to explain how I work. There is no pressure.
The relationship we build is important. I want you to feel able to be honest with me, to tell me if something isn’t working, or if you want to explore something different.
I want you to feel able to be honest with me. Your experience matters.
You might be looking for support with:
- Feeling lost or disconnected from yourself
- Low self-worth or self-criticism
- Difficult relationships or life transitions
- Anxiety, overwhelm or feeling stuck
- Grief and loss
- The impact of past experiences or trauma
- Understanding patterns that no longer feel helpful
- Wanting to understand yourself more deeply
Practical Information
Sessions
50-minute sessions. Weekly sessions are usually recommended to support the theraputic relationship and consisteny.
Location
49 High Street, Thornbury, BS35 2AH.
Private, comfortable room on the first floor.
Cost
£55 per session. Payment is due at the time of each session.
Availability
Thursday 3–8pm and Friday 3–8pm.
In person sessions in North Bristol coming early 2027, please reach out for more information.
Get in Touch
If you are considering counselling and would like to ask any questions, please get in touch. Taking the first step can feel daunting, but you don’t have to have everything worked out before reaching out.
You are welcome to get in touch by email:
DebbieSmithCounselling@Gmail.com
I’ll aim to respond within 2 working days.
Training and experience
MA Counselling and Psychotherapy – UWE Bristol
The Swan Project (Addiction Support)
Cruse Bristol (Bereavement Support)
Changes Bristol (Peer support for Mental Heath)
SHOUT (Crisis Text line)
Angelite Counselling and Psychotherapy
Heart to Heart Bristol
