Choosing a counsellor is an important decision.
Before deciding whether we'd be a good fit, it's only right that you know a little about the person you're considering talking to.
Research consistently tells us that the relationship between counsellor and client is one of the most important parts of therapy. Qualifications and experience matter, but so does finding someone who feels right for you.
So, here's a little about me.
Please call me Sam.
I'm a qualified counsellor, accredited by the National Counselling and Psychotherapy Society. I've been working collaboratively with adults and young people for over ten years, and I'm committed to maintaining high professional standards through ongoing learning, reflection and accountability. (Hyperlinks here to Qualifications and NCPS.)
What it might feel like working with me.
One thing I want you to know is that your therapy belongs to you.
You don't have to arrive knowing exactly what you want from counselling. In fact, many people don't. Sometimes simply putting into words that something doesn't feel quite right is enough for us to begin.
As we work together, I'll regularly check that we're focusing on what's most helpful for you. We don't need to have your whole journey mapped out. Most of the time, all we need to do is notice what calls our attention over the next ten minutes of our conversation, and what might support you between this session and the next.
Clients often tell me they appreciate this way of working because it removes the pressure to have all the answers before they begin.
Over the years, I've noticed that people often describe similar experiences of working with me. One of the comments I hear most often is, "Oh... you get it."
I don't think that's because I've necessarily shared the same experiences. Sometimes I might have, but more often it's because I take time to really understand what has brought someone to therapy. Together, we often begin to find the feelings that have been sitting quietly beneath the story – sadness, fear, embarrassment, shame, disappointment, or sometimes hopes that have been difficult to say out loud.
Feeling understood doesn't make life's difficulties disappear, but it often creates the space to begin understanding yourself in a different way.
Hopefully, this gives you a flavour of what our conversations together might be like.
How our conversations unfold.
Another thing people often notice is that our conversations help them see things differently.
When we're living inside our own experiences, it's easy to become caught in familiar ways of thinking or feeling. By slowing things down, paying attention together and becoming curious about what we're noticing, new understanding often begins to emerge naturally.
I'm not looking for quick answers or simple solutions. Instead, we'll make sense of your experiences together, at a pace that feels right for you. Between sessions, life carries on. Your mind continues making connections, new experiences happen, and together we'll keep building on whatever feels important when you return.
For me, therapy is about creating a space where you can wonder, explore, feel and continue developing trust in your own understanding.
My professional practice.
I'm a qualified and accredited therapeutic counsellor. Alongside my counselling practice, I supervise other counsellors and deliver professional training. Both roles continually encourage me to reflect on my own practice, stay curious, and keep developing as a practitioner.
As part of my professional practice, I attend regular clinical supervision and engage in continuing professional development because learning is an important part of how I care for my clients.
My qualifications include the Diploma in Therapeutic Counselling and a Master's degree in Counselling and Psychotherapy Practice. More recently, much of my continuing professional development has focused on developing neurodivergent-affirming and anti-oppressive counselling.
However much I continue to learn, I never lose sight of the fact that every person who comes to counselling is unique. My role isn't to fit you into a model, but to understand your experience and work alongside you.