About me
Hello, I'm Faisal Samadi, a qualified psychodynamic psychotherapist with nearly four years' experience in NHS secondary care mental health services. I helped people that were experiencing complex trauma and PTSD, longstanding emotional difficulties, entrenched personality disorders, as well as painful and recurring relationship patterns. But you don't need to be in full-blown crisis for therapy to help.
Psychotherapy offers a space to explore what may be difficult to understand, express, or change alone. Our work is collaborative, but also emotionally engaged and creative. I aim to create a space where you can bring the parts of yourself that feel confusing, uncomfortable, or difficult to share, without needing to minimise your experiences or present yourself in a particular way.
My approach explores how past experiences and relationships can shape your present emotional life, alongside the difficulties you face now. Whether you're struggling with longstanding problems or feel that something in your life isn't quite right, we can work together to understand what's happening and find new ways forward.
Alongside psychodynamic psychotherapy, I offer Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT) as an alternative, more structured approach for those who prefer focused work on changing behavioural patterns and living in line with their values.
Training, qualifications & experience
I hold an MSc in Psychodynamic Counselling and Psychotherapy from Birkbeck, University of London, accredited by the BACP and BPC.
NHS Clinical Experience
I have nearly four years' experience in NHS secondary care mental health services, including two years of clinical training followed by professional clinical work. Across this time, I have accumulated over 600 hours of supervised clinical practice primarily delivering psychodynamic psychotherapy to people with highly complex and enduring mental health difficulties.
My NHS work also involved comprehensive psychological assessments, risk assessment, and multidisciplinary care planning, alongside supporting people experiencing complex trauma, enduring emotional difficulties, and longstanding relationship problems. I also facilitated DBT and mindfulness-based CBT groups, helping people develop practical skills for emotional regulation, distress tolerance, and managing overwhelming feelings.
Psychodynamic Psychotherapy
My primary therapeutic training is in psychodynamic psychotherapy. This approach explores how past experiences and relationships can shape our present emotional lives, including recurring patterns in how we think, feel, and relate to others. I aim to offer a safe, emotionally engaged and creative space where difficult experiences can be shared and explored without judgement. Together, we can work towards a deeper understanding of your difficulties and new ways of relating to yourself and others.
Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT)
Alongside psychotherapy, I offer ACT as a distinct, structured alternative. I completed accredited ACT training with the Association of Psychological Therapies (APT) and delivered ACT in both individual and group settings within the NHS. ACT helps you develop a different relationship with difficult thoughts and feelings, recognise unhelpful behavioural patterns, and take meaningful steps towards a life guided by your values.
I also led development of an ACT treatment pathway for an NHS Community Mental Health Team, including a workbook of over 110 pages covering ACT concepts, reflective exercises, mindfulness worksheets, planning tools and practical tasks. Clients undertaking ACT with me receive an adapted version of this workbook, included in the session fees, to support their work during and between sessions.
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
Therapies offered
Fees
£90.00 per session
Additional information
I offer between one and three reduced-fee initial assessment for £60, giving us space to explore what brings you to therapy, discuss your goals, and consider if my approach may be helpful. There is no obligation to continue. You are also welcome to arrange a free, brief phone call before booking, to ask questions and get a sense of whether working together feels right for you.
My standard session fee is £90 (concessions available). If you have questions about treatment options, session structure, or availability, please get in touch.
When I work
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Further information
Sessions are usually held weekly or twice weekly.
Psychodynamic psychotherapy can be short-term (12–25 sessions), longer-term (6-12 months) or open-ended, depending on your needs and what we hope to achieve together.
ACT is offered as a structured course of 12–20 sessions, depending on the extent of your difficulties, with an adapted treatment workbook included in the session fees.
