Welcome

It’s always good to begin with some introductions and some expectations of what this Substack is. Are you sitting comfortably? Then I’ll begin…

I’m Zoe C Smith, a Psychotherapist who’s been working in this profession since 2010, and in my private practice since 2012. I know the therapy world well and I’ve seen firsthand how positive and life-changing therapy can be, but I’ve also seen things go on in this industry that I don’t like. One of those things is most of the social media content out there about therapy. You know the type - it begins as helpful until you realise the information is actually a sales funnel and you’re being softened up for conversion, often for expensive products or services. But even when there are no sales conversations going on, the amount of conflicting information and opinions out there can be really confusing for someone looking into the possibility of entering into therapy.

Substack Philosophy

If you came here from my website, chances are you’ve already seen how I structure my services. For those who haven’t, they’re partially informed by the NHS Talking Therapies philosophy of beginning with the “least intrusive, most effective” intervention first. This Substack is the ‘begin here’ of my services: certainly the ‘least intrusive’ in terms of cost, time, and commitment, and hopefully the ‘most effective’ for this level of intervention, which is part self-help, part reflection, and part community for people who often prefer to work things out for themselves. As a lone wolf myself, I’ve often preferred doing my own research and have often found my pack members in the comments section of social media. Maybe you’ll find the same with this publication here.

Why a newsletter? Because I don’t think that everyone wants or needs therapy. Often, it’s good to begin with something a bit more low-key before launching into individual therapy - something a bit more informational and inspirational, that makes you think and reflect. Often this might be enough to get the momentum going again. Most people are already far more resilient and resourceful than they realise.

That said, reaching out to another human for help is normal, and if there’s no one in your social sphere who you feel comfortable enough to talk to, a therapist is a reasonable person to begin with. But, even for those people who do want therapy, I don’t think that everyone wants or needs weekly and/or long-term therapy. Sometimes a one-off session is enough to get some momentum again. In which case, wouldn’t it feel better to know a little more about the therapy terrain before approaching a prospective therapist?

What this Substack is not

This isn’t email marketing. You’re not in a sales funnel. It won’t be a promotional advertisement masquerading as a helpful newsletter.

I won’t be writing generic content just to “write something”. That’s not what I want to read from other email subscriptions, and frankly I’m not interested in writing such stuff myself.

I won’t spam your inbox each week just to “keep you engaged”. I’m sure you’re a busy person - I wouldn’t dream of wasting your time with fluff ‘n’ nonsense.

It’s not advice. Let’s face it, no one wants to be told what to do. Especially not lone wolves.

It’s not written by AI. It’s written by me. If I use AI for anything other than help with the preliminary research or spellcheck stages - I’ll tell you. I promise I won’t try to pass off those em-dashes as my own.

Which brings me to mention my writing style: it’s not a regular, weekly email. I like to deep-dive research, and need plenty of time to mull over what I’ve learned and fact-check things. I simply don’t have the time to write deep dives on a weekly basis. I’m not a content production factory; I’m a busy woman!

What this Substack actually is

I read and research a lot, mainly because self development, psychology, and psychotherapy are my own personal interests as well as professional ones. I’m always thinking about the usefulness of what I learn and try things out myself first, then often share what I’ve learned with my clients. Reflections and writing are a natural extension of that.

“This publication follows a slower rhythm. Essays and reflections are published when they’re fully formed rather than according to content schedules”

I really want this Substack to help you feel a bit more like a human. No one is perfect. It’s time to normalise the fact that we all struggle. Yes, all of us. Yes, even that person you’re thinking of right now, who seems to have their life together.

I’ll introduce you to some key theories and ideas that are used to inform the therapy industry, so that you can speak a little of the language. One of the big benefits that most trainee therapists report about their own training is learning a language for what happened to them growing up and how they respond to life now. This is called ‘psychoeducation’ and is also a key feature of most therapies. You’ll just be learning the lingo a little earlier.

I’ll offer you some key questions and ideas to reflect on, so that you can begin building awareness of your inner world: your thoughts, feelings, behaviours, and your preferences.

I’ll offer some thoughts and ideas of how to use that inner map to take small actions to begin to move forward and leverage real change in your life.

There will also be space for a real community of likeminded others to share and support one another, if that’s your jam. If not, it’s okay to sit on the sidelines and watch.

Crucially, I’ll help you understand the therapy industry terrain enough to become a savvy consumer of it, should you ever choose to invest in therapy for yourself.

And for some people, this newsletter and community might be enough to get what you need. For others, it might become the beginning of deeper work - and if that’s you, Substack is usually the first place to know when I’m opening up session slots. No pressure, no hard sell, just a discreet nod-and-a-wink kind of heads-up.

Welcome :)

Zoe

Some posts are free to all subscribers. Most, including deeper writing and reflections, community discussions, and the full paid archive, are available to paid subscribers. Paid subscriptions help support the time, research, and thoughtful writing behind this publication.