⭐Dr Julie Smith (0)
Dr Julie Smith is a British clinical psychologist, bestselling author and mental health educator who became widely known for explaining psychology through short social media videos. After working in the NHS and private practice, she began publishing educational content in 2019. Her work now includes bestselling books, public speaking and collaborations with organizations such as BBC Children in Need, Samsung and Calm Health.
Her career developed from helping patients individually to sharing accessible psychology education with an international audience. Her first book, Why Has Nobody Told Me This Before?, became a major nonfiction bestseller in 2022. She followed it with Open When… in 2025. In 2026, she continued combining her writing and educational work with projects involving mental health, technology and public awareness.
Dr Julie Smith: Profile Snapshot
- Professional name: Dr Julie Smith
- Nationality: British
- Profession: Clinical psychologist, author and mental health educator
- Professional credentials: Chartered by the British Psychological Society and registered with the Health and Care Professions Council, according to her professional biography
- Additional professional membership: British Association for Behavioural and Cognitive Psychotherapies
- Clinical background: NHS psychological services and private practice
- Digital education career: Began sharing short videos in November 2019
- First book: Why Has Nobody Told Me This Before? (2022)
- Second book: Open When… (2025)
- Publishers: Penguin Michael Joseph and HarperOne
- Documented charitable role: BBC Children in Need ambassador
- Selected professional relationships: Calm Health and Samsung
- Educational project: Pudsey's Pause, developed with BBC Children in Need
- Instagram: @drjulie
- TikTok: @drjulie
- Official website: drjulie.co.uk
From Clinical Psychology to Public Education
Before becoming a familiar face on social media, Julie Smith worked as a clinical psychologist in the United Kingdom.
Her experience included approximately ten years in the NHS, followed by work in private practice. During her clinical career, she worked with people experiencing a range of psychological difficulties and challenging life circumstances.
Her professional biography identifies experience in primary care, community mental health services, crisis teams and specialist psychological services.
Clinical psychology involves understanding psychological difficulties and using evidence-based approaches to assessment and treatment. Smith's work also gave her experience explaining psychological concepts to people who had not studied the subject.
In a 2022 interview with The Guardian, she discussed an observation from her clinical practice. Many patients were surprised to learn that therapy could include education about emotions, thoughts and behavior.
They had expected therapy to focus mainly on talking about their experiences. Understanding how psychological processes work could also become an important part of their progress.
Smith began considering how some of that educational information could reach people who were not attending therapy.
That question eventually led to a new professional activity outside the therapy room.
Starting Her Mental Health Videos in 2019
In November 2019, Smith began publishing short videos about mental health on TikTok.
Her early content explained subjects such as anxiety, low mood, stress and confidence. Instead of presenting lengthy academic discussions, she focused on clear explanations that could fit into a short video.
She also demonstrated simple psychological concepts using everyday objects and situations.
Her approach drew on the educational elements of clinical psychology. Viewers could learn about emotional experiences and understand why particular reactions might occur.
As the COVID-19 pandemic developed in 2020, interest in accessible mental health information increased. Smith's videos reached a growing audience across TikTok and other platforms.
The videos eventually became part of a wider educational project, extending to Instagram and YouTube.
According to her official website and publisher, she has built a combined audience of more than ten million followers across social platforms.
These audience figures describe her publicly reported reach and can change over time.
Why Has Nobody Told Me This Before? Her First Book
Smith published her debut book, Why Has Nobody Told Me This Before?, on January 6, 2022.
The book brought together psychological concepts and practical exercises drawn from her professional experience.
Its chapters address subjects including managing anxiety, understanding low mood, building confidence, motivation and responding to criticism.
Rather than following one continuous narrative, the book is organized so readers can turn to subjects relevant to their circumstances.
The publication allowed Smith to expand on ideas that could only be introduced briefly through social media.
It was published in the United Kingdom by Michael Joseph, an imprint of Penguin Random House. HarperOne handled its American publication.
The book became a major commercial success.
Penguin reports that it sold more than one million copies and spent over 140 weeks in the Sunday Times hardback Top 10. The publisher also identifies it as one of the major nonfiction successes of 2022.
The book's international reach led to editions in numerous languages, bringing Smith's writing to readers beyond her English-speaking social media audience.
Its success created a new professional relationship between Smith and the publishing industry, separate from her earlier clinical practice.
Open When…: Her Second Bestselling Book
On January 2, 2025, Smith released Open When…, her second book.
Its full American title is Open When: A Companion for Life's Twists and Turns.
The book uses a different structure from her debut.
It presents a series of letters organized around difficult experiences, including uncertainty, self-doubt, pressure, emotional overwhelm and major life decisions.
Each section introduces a situation and offers psychological tools intended to help readers reflect on their experience.
The book became a number-one Sunday Times bestseller and also appeared on the New York Times bestseller list.
In May 2026, Penguin released the paperback edition in the United Kingdom, extending the book's availability beyond its original hardback, electronic and audio formats.
The two books now form the central part of Smith's published catalog.
Her work as an author remains distinct from providing individual clinical treatment. The books are educational resources and do not replace personal assessment or professional care when it is needed.
BBC Children in Need: Creating Pudsey's Pause
Smith's professional work also includes a relationship with BBC Children in Need, the British charity supporting children and young people.
Her official biography identifies her as an ambassador for the organization.
In May 2025, BBC Children in Need launched Pudsey's Pause, an emotional wellbeing resource developed with Smith's assistance.
The resource was designed to help parents and other trusted adults start conversations with children about feelings and worries.
It introduced three steps:
- Pause: Make time to stop and check in.
- Spot: Notice and identify feelings.
- Share: Talk about those feelings with a trusted adult.
The project also included Pudsey's Parent Club, a video series hosted by Smith.
Participants included Giovanna Fletcher, Katie Piper and JB Gill, who discussed experiences related to parenting and emotional wellbeing.
BBC Children in Need later reported on the project's engagement in its annual accounts, identifying Pudsey's Pause as part of its work to make emotional wellbeing resources more accessible to families.
This collaboration is a documented educational and charitable project. Smith contributed her professional knowledge to the resource, but she did not establish or acquire ownership of BBC Children in Need.
Samsung: Bringing Psychology Into Wearable Technology
Smith's professional collaborations also extend into consumer technology.
In December 2023, she published advertising content developed with Samsung UK around the Galaxy Watch6.
The campaign focused on sleep tracking and the relationship between everyday habits and rest.
Smith disclosed the commercial relationship and explained that an informal experiment she demonstrated was not a scientific study.
Her involvement continued through another documented Samsung activity in 2026.
On March 4, 2026, Smith led a sensory experience organized by Samsung during Mobile World Congress in Barcelona.
The event explored the relationship between sound, attention and emotional experience using products including Galaxy Buds4 Pro and Galaxy Watch8.
Samsung's official account of the event identified Smith as a clinical psychologist, author and creator leading the experience.
Participants took part in activities involving sound and visual attention while using Samsung devices.
The event represented a collaboration between a psychologist and a technology company. It was not a clinical trial demonstrating that the devices could diagnose or treat a mental health condition.
These separate activities establish documented relationships with Samsung in 2023 and 2026. They do not, by themselves, establish a permanent global ambassador contract.
Calm Health: A Professional Mental Health Relationship
Smith is also listed among the experts featured by Calm Health.
Calm Health is a mental health and wellness offering developed within the wider Calm business.
Its official website identifies Smith as a clinical psychologist, bestselling author and online educator.
The listing highlights her experience communicating mental health information and her professional credentials.
This establishes a documented connection with the company's expert network.
It should not be interpreted as evidence that Smith founded Calm, owns the company or holds a specific executive position.
Calm Health also states that its wellness programs are not substitutes for individual medical care. That distinction is consistent with Smith's wider approach to public education.
Corporate Speaking and Educational Workshops
Alongside writing and social media, Smith delivers talks for organizations and professional audiences.
Her official website lists subjects including anxiety, confidence, burnout, resilience, motivation and adapting to change.
It also identifies organizations whose teams she has worked with, including Amazon, Meta, Deloitte and GSK.
These activities use her professional knowledge in workplace and educational settings.
A talk delivered to employees or a workshop organized for an institution differs from a consumer advertising campaign.
It does not automatically establish an endorsement relationship between Smith and every organization involved.
The corporate events form another professional activity developed from her clinical background and her experience explaining psychology to wider audiences.
Sharing Psychology Through Interviews and Podcasts
Smith regularly appears in interviews, podcasts and television discussions about mental health.
Her publisher identifies appearances on ITV's This Morning, The Diary of a CEO and The Mel Robbins Podcast.
In May 2026, she appeared on The Doctor's Kitchen, hosted by Dr Rupy Aujla.
The conversation explored emotional overwhelm, stress and the challenges of managing competing demands in everyday life.
She also appeared on the Well Enough podcast on May 13, 2026.
That interview discussed self-compassion, emotional experiences and the pressure people sometimes place on themselves to achieve constant happiness.
These appearances provided opportunities to discuss psychological subjects in greater depth than her short videos.
They also connected her with audiences interested in health, personal development and wellbeing.
Guest appearances should be distinguished from ownership or permanent hosting roles. Smith participated in those programs as an invited expert and author.
What Makes Her Approach to Mental Health Education Different?
Smith's public work centers on a clear distinction between understanding psychological principles and receiving individual therapy.
She has repeatedly explained that her videos and books share educational information rather than personal diagnosis or treatment.
Her subjects are familiar to a wide audience: stress, emotional regulation, negative thinking, confidence and coping with change.
Her approach is based on making professional knowledge understandable without requiring viewers to have a background in psychology.
It also makes her content relevant to several types of organizations.
Publishers can bring the material to readers through books. Charities can use her educational expertise in public awareness projects. Technology companies can invite her to discuss wellbeing in the context of their products. Employers can arrange talks about workplace mental health.
Each activity serves a different purpose, even when the subject matter overlaps.
Dr Julie Smith's Professional Work in 2026
By October 2026, Smith's professional activities extended across books, online education, speaking engagements and documented collaborations.
Her publishing work continued through the paperback edition of Open When…. She also participated in public conversations and technology events, including Samsung's March event in Barcelona and podcast interviews in May.
Her website continued presenting her as a clinical psychologist, author and educator, with an audience exceeding ten million people across platforms.
The available information does not establish that she currently accepts new private therapy clients. Public speaking and educational content should not be confused with an offer of clinical appointments.
Readers can find her books, public events and social media accounts through her official website.
Dr Julie Smith on Famousi
Dr Julie Smith's career connects clinical psychology with publishing, public education and professional collaborations. Her books have reached readers internationally, while projects with BBC Children in Need, Samsung and Calm Health show how her expertise has been used in different organizational settings.
Her work demonstrates how a professional can develop an international public presence without leaving the original subject of that expertise behind. Famousi covers her books, educational initiatives and documented relationships with publishers, organizations and brands, helping readers understand the professional projects connected to her career.
