This professional is available for new clients.
This professional is available for new clients.
About me
A down to earth and honest approach to what’s going on in your life, what’s really driving your depression, anxiety, sleeplessness, over eating, drinking. Why are your relationships not working? Why are you exhausted all the time and struggling to find the energy or motivation to change the things that need changing.
For the individual
Let’s figure out what has happened that is playing a part in how things are today
Let’s challenge the thinking that holds us entrenched in our views of ourselves and others
Let’s offer ourselves the same compassion and tolerance that we offer others
For the couple
Let’s understand what got us to where we are now
Let’s find ways of telling each other the difficult stuff
Let’s find better and more effective ways of communicating
Why might you chose to come and see me?
People are often surprised when they meet me, but the counselling I practice is
Straight-forward honest and curious.
Asks you the questions others might be too afraid to ask or might never have thought of asking.
Focused on you as an individual
Helps make the links between your life and the events that have happened, hopefully in a way that will create greater understanding and insight.
Focused on listening, hard, to everything you say, using it to build a better picture, allowing you to find a voice for stuff which may have been left unspeakable in the past.
Remains sitting with it all, doesn’t get offended or upset by what you tell me, is able to hear it without you worrying about me and how I might react.
What can I tell you about myself?
I have been a counsellor now for 17 years and I have focused on working with the issues that expressed as anxiety, depression and anger for many. I initially trained at Goldsmiths college for a Post Grad Diploma in Psychodynamic Counselling and have continued training and developing my practice ever since.
Having worked in a number of different settings, I now work privately and as a result am able to offer a degree of flexibility over scheduling and timing of sessions. I maintain a programme of regular training and supervision to support my work and to ensure that I am constantly challenged and remain curious about counselling, the new ways of thinking and working within this field, as well as being challenged about who I am and learning more about myself as time goes by.
i am experienced in working with people suffering from anxiety and depression. I also work with anyone who has survived childhood abuse and trauma.
I specialise in eating disorders, specifically in Binge eating, Bulimia and Obesity and having gained a master practitioner qualification in eating disorders I also have a PG DIp in obesity and eating disorders which covers all aspects of obesity and eating disorders.
My background is in marketing and customer services within the telecoms and IT industry. I left to become a full time counsellor when I moved from London to Brighton. I love living and working in Brighton.
What can you expect from counselling with me?
Counselling isn’t a set way of looking at a problem, whilst I use lots of CBT tools and techniques in the work I do, I don’t follow a prescribed way of working. Counselling is unique for each client, there is no “one size fits all” approach that will produce long term resilience and life “readiness”. Counselling can’t offer solutions for problems and ensure nothing terrible will ever happen again, but it can create a different way of looking at ourselves and thinking about ourselves as well as the world around us. This in turn can lead to a more productive way of managing life, taking on risks, reducing fear and anxiety, creating less worry and allowing more pro-activity. Nobody comes out of counselling perfect but many leave feeling more able to cope and manage life and the situations it throws our way.
I help you learn how to question yourself, learn how to be honest (with yourself), recognise your skills and deficits, learn how to value and trust yourself and maybe most importantly learn that you can survive even when life gets seriously tough.
How does it work?
Make an initial appointment for the first session, it might be useful to book an extended session for this one if you prefer. We will take a look at your history and family situation and the try to clarify the presenting problem. If you then feel that you can work with me, we will book a regular weekly slot (I offer flexible slots where necessary), we will meet at that time each week, with regular check ups on how we are doing? Payment is normally in cash or by bank transfer every week. I do charge for missed sessions or late cancellations. We can work either face to face or online whichever suits.
Everything we talk about is confidential and you really can talk about anything.
When you are ready to get going give me a call and lets see what we can achieve together! Sam :)
Training, qualifications & experience
I have been a counsellor now for 17 years, I still find the work rewarding and challenging, each client brings something new for me to think about.
PgDip in Psychodynamic Counselling - University of London
Diploma in time limited therapy (solution focused therapy) - Westminster Pastoral Foundation
Master Practitioner in Eating Disorders - National Center Friday or Eating Disorders
CBT for psychodynamic counsellors
Solunion focused therapy
Positive therapy
I incorporate the tools and techniques of CBT into my work
I worked for the NHS (Mid Sussex PCT) offering solution focused therapy
I have worked as a parent counsellor in a school offering support to parents
As well as working with adults I have worked extensively with adolescents
Member organisations
BACP is one of the UK’s leading professional bodies for counselling and psychotherapy with around 60,000 members. The Association has several different categories of membership, including Student Member, Individual Member, Registered Member MBACP, Registered Accredited Member MBACP (Accred) and Senior Registered Accredited Member MBACP (Snr Acccred). Registered and accredited members are listed on the BACP Register, which shows that they have demonstrated BACP’s recommended standards for training, proficiency and ethical practice. The BACP Register was the first register of psychological therapists to be accredited by the Professional Standards Authority (PSA). Accredited and senior accredited membership are voluntary categories for members who choose to undertake a rigorous application and assessment process to demonstrate additional standards around practice, training and supervision. Individual members will have completed an appropriate counselling or psychotherapy course and started to practise, but they won’t appear on the BACP Register until they've demonstrated that they meet the standards for registration. Student members are still in the process of completing their training. All members are bound by the BACP Ethical Framework and a Professional Conduct Procedure.
Accredited register membership
The Accredited Register Scheme was set up in 2013 by the Department of Health (DoH) as a way to recognise organisations that hold voluntary registers which meet certain standards. These standards are set by the Professional Standards Authority (PSA).
This therapist has indicated that they belong to an Accredited Register.
Areas of counselling I deal with
Other areas of counselling I deal with
I am an experienced couple counsellor.
I work with people who struggle with anxiety and depression, i also work with the survivors of abuse and childhood trauma.
My special area of interest is working with people who have eating disorders, or weight concerns
Therapies offered
Fees
Concessions offered for
Additional information
Sessions are for 50 minutes, wiht extended sessions lasting for 75 minutes
I charge:-
£50 - indivual 50 minute session
£65 - extended 75 minute session
£60 - a couple 50 minute session
£80 - a couple extended session
There are good transport links, both bus and train, and parking is free.
I work day time and evening starting from 8.30am until 8.30 pm, I am also happy to work with people who work shifts or are unable to attend at the same time every week.
When I work
I work Monday to Friday with late slots on Tuesday and Wednesday evenings please feel free to call and ask.
Further information
If you are struggling with a specfic issue, e.g. debt, anxiety, body image, your relationship with food, give me a call. I offer solution focused therapy (6 or 12 sessions) which concentrates on the issue you are concerned about.