about me and how I work

Hi, my name is Sam

I’m a UKCP registered psychotherapist

I trained at CCPE in Paddington, earning a diploma and MA psychotherapy and counselling

I offer online one-to-one sessions via Zoom, on a weekly basis, working with adult (18+) clients based in the UK

My experience working as a psychotherapist is of providing therapy for adult clients (18+) from a wide range of backgrounds, identities and , in private practice as well as the voluntary sector

I have a particular interest in working with people who experience themselves as creative, highly sensitive (HSPs), introverted, alternative and neurodivergent (with diagnosis, or self-identifying)

I am trained in an integrative transpersonal approach to psychotherapy

in a nutshell, this means I work in a way that draws upon a holistic perspective of human experience that encompasses, but is not limited to -

  • neurological and nervous system aspects of experiencing

  • emotional experiencing and expression

  • cognitive / mental / conceptual aspects of experiencing

  • intuition and creativity

  • somatic / bodily experience

  • behavioural patterns and instinctual responses

  • socio-cultural and identity aspects of experiencing

  • socio-political considerations

  • historical and intergenerational aspects of experiencing and narratives

  • familial, social and romantic relationships

  • philosophical and spiritual concerns

  • ‘transpersonal’ experiences, which extend beyond the person’s sense of individual self, to something greater and unified

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I draw upon a carefully evaluated and synthesised cross section of psychological theories: Jungian and post-Jungian analytic psychology; attachment and object relations psychodynamic approaches; neuroscience informed and third wave cognitive behavioural modalities; humanistic-existential, somatic and transpersonal approaches.

Transpersonal work is open to spiritual perspectives, but not limited to them - it offers a further lens through which to consider, process and work to integrate experiences that reach into the further layers beyond individual human consciousness and potential

I welcome people who hold any metaphysical beliefs or ideas, including but not limited to: atheism, scientific materialism, religious faiths, specific or individual / idiosyncratic spiritual and mystical perspectives, and beyond

My approach

I offer a warm, gentle and encouraging space

my main aims is to build a strong therapeutic relationship to help you feel safe, so that you can explore, understand and process the difficult aspects of your experiences

trust is built over time: this is why I offer long-term therapy as my main preference, as it can allow for progressively deeper levels of work to be undertaken as the therapeutic relationship develops and strengthens

In our work together, I will help you identify and dialogue with the different aspects of yourself which are in conflict, aiming to bring about harmony, so that you can work through blocks and direct your energy into what you really want to be doing and find fulfilling

I will encourage you to develop compassion for yourself, so it can spread outwards as compassion for others

I will reflect your strengths back to you, holding onto the concept of you when you feel at your most calm, confident and competent, until you can hold that for yourself and start to integrate it

We can work with

Taking a gentle experimental approach to collaborative exploration, we can find what you feel works best for you

We can draw upon -

  • dialogue - giving you space to tell your story, verbally process and make sense of what you already know

  • ‘parts’ work - to understand and reconcile inner conflicts between parts of you that want to help, but are pulling in different directions; aiming to harmonise push/pull internal dynamics, and gently address and work to heal inner-child wounding

  • guided and improvised visualisation

  • working with dreams to access and work with deep subconscious processes

  • breath-work and nervous system regulating exercises, to develop self soothing and address physiological anxiety responses

  • work with bodily sensation and awareness, to access and process somatic memories

  • writing and drawing exercises to access intuitive knowing

  • and a host of others

Prior to being a psychotherapist

I have worked in a variety of care and education settings with children and adults with complex needs, both as a teaching / care assistant and delivering music workshops

In addition, I taught guitar for many years and undertook H.E. level trainings in music and art

I grew up playing in bands with friends and being involved in my local music scene

I continue to be deeply interested in music, art, film, fiction, usually on the heavier end of the spectrum

equally, I enjoy continuing my learning about psychology, psychotherapy, philosophy, science, and a range of other subjects

I am committed to ongoing personal and professional development, so as to be able to support my clients competently and ethically