Samantha Edwards

Psychotherapy with Understanding, Compassion and Purpose.

Perhaps you've spent a long time coping, surviving or simply getting through each day. Perhaps you're now ready to understand yourself rather than simply manage what you're experiencing.

Finding the right psychotherapist can feel daunting. You may have spent years trying to manage things on your own, perhaps without fully understanding why you feel the way you do. You may know that something needs to change, but not know where to begin. My aim is to make that first step feel a little easier.

About Me:

I am a qualified Psychotherapist and a registered member of the British Association for Counselling and Psychotherapy (MBACP). I practise in accordance with the BACP Ethical Framework and undertake regular clinical supervision, ensuring that my practice remains ethical, reflective and focused on the wellbeing and best interests of my clients. I also hold an enhanced DBS certificate.

I have almost 20 years' professional experience working within mental health, predominantly within the charitable sector. Throughout my career, I have worked in a variety of roles including psychotherapy, mental health advocacy and homelessness prevention. This has given me extensive experience of working alongside people from diverse backgrounds and with a broad range of emotional, psychological, social and life difficulties.

Alongside my professional psychotherapy qualifications, I hold a BSc (Hons) and MA in Psychology from Bangor University. During my university studies, I developed particular academic interests in risky behaviour, drug and alcohol addiction, and mental health.

My academic background has provided me with a strong foundation in psychological theory and research, while my professional experience has given me an understanding of the complexity of applying psychological knowledge to real people's lives.

Qualifications & Professional Credentials

- QualifiedPsychotherapist

- MBACP – Registered Member of the British Association for Counselling and Psychotherapy

- MA Psychology – Bangor University

- BSc (Hons) Psychology – Bangor University

- Enhanced DBS checked

- Regular clinical supervision

- Qualifications and professional experience in management and public speaking

- Extensive continuing professional development across mental health, trauma, addiction, safeguarding, risk and psychological wellbeing

My professional development has continued throughout my career. I have undertaken extensive additional training in areas including:

Rape and sexual abuse, trauma, overdose prevention, motivational interviewing, communication skills, emotional intelligence, risk management, public speaking, conflict resolution, mental health awareness, medication handling, Protection of Vulnerable Adults (POVA), infection control, social care standards, challenging behaviour, drug and alcohol awareness, self-harm first aid and suicide awareness.

I also have professional experience as a motivational speaker, having had the opportunity to speak at a number of high-profile events, including TEDx events, charitable events, award ceremonies and professional training days.

My experience as a speaker has strengthened my ability to communicate complex psychological and emotional concepts in a clear and accessible way. I believe psychological understanding should be something that can be applied to everyday life, rather than something hidden behind clinical terminology and professional jargon.

How I Work:

I work from an integrative therapeutic approach, drawing upon a range of psychological theories and therapeutic techniques according to the individual needs, circumstances and goals of each client. I don't believe that one therapeutic model is appropriate for everyone. We all have different histories, personalities, relationships, experiences and ways of understanding the world. Consequently, psychotherapy should be sufficiently flexible to accommodate the person rather than expecting the person to accommodate the model. My primary therapeutic foundation is Person-Centred Therapy.

Person-centred therapy is based on the belief that individuals have an inherent capacity for personal growth and change when they are provided with the right therapeutic conditions. The therapeutic relationship therefore forms a central part of my work.

I will work alongside you with empathy, respect, curiosity and without judgement. You are the expert on your own life, and my role is not to impose my interpretation upon you, but to help you explore your experiences and develop a deeper understanding of yourself.

Depending upon your needs, I may incorporate elements of Cognitive Behavioural Therapy, Psychodynamic Therapy, Adlerian Therapy, Gestalt Therapy, Behavioural Therapy, Brief and Solution-Focused Therapy, as well as coaching and creative or experiential techniques.

The benefit of an integrative approach is flexibility:

If you need practicalstrategies, we can explore those. If you want to understand where your difficulties have come from, we can explore that.

If you need to process something that has happened to you, we can create space for that. And if you simply need somewhere safe to begin making sense of everything that is happening, we can start there.

If a particular way of working doesn't feel helpful, we can talk about it and consider what might work better.

The Foundations of My Therapeutic Relationship:

Although I work integratively and draw upon a range of therapeutic approaches, the Person-Centred principles of empathy, congruence and unconditional positive regard are fundamental to the way I practise psychotherapy.

For me, these are not simply theoretical concepts or elements of a therapeutic model. They represent the foundation of the relationship I aim to develop with every client.

Empathy:

I believe that feeling genuinely understood can be profoundly important within psychotherapy.

Empathy means trying to understand your experience from your perspective — not simply hearing the words you say, but attempting to understand the emotions, meanings and experiences behind them.

I will never assume that I know what something feels like for you simply because I have encountered something similar before. Your experience is uniquely yours.

My role is to listen carefully, remain curious and seek to understand your world without imposing my own assumptions or interpretations upon it.

Congruence and Genuineness

I believe authenticity matters. A therapeutic relationship should feel genuine rather than clinical or performative. I aim to be open, honest and present with you while maintaining appropriate professional boundaries. You are not sitting across from a detached professional who has all the answers. You are sitting with another human being who is there to understand, support and work alongside you. I believe that being genuine helps create an environment where you can gradually feel able to be genuine too.

Unconditional Positive Regard

Perhaps most importantly, I believe that people need to feel accepted as they are before they can begin to explore who they might want to become. Unconditional positive regard means offering acceptance and respect without judging you according to your thoughts, feelings, experiences or behaviours. This does not mean that every behaviour is considered healthy or that difficult patterns should never be challenged. It means that I can distinguish between the person and the behaviour. You can be struggling with something, make mistakes, hold conflicting emotions or have behaved in ways that you are not proud of, while still being treated with dignity, compassion and respect.

You do not have to present a polished version of yourself in psychotherapy. You can bring the parts of yourself that feel frightened, angry, ashamed, confused, vulnerable or difficult to understand. My role is not to decide whether you are a "good" or "bad" person. My role is to help you understand yourself.

Creating the Right Conditions for Change

I believe meaningful therapeutic work becomes possible when a person feels sufficiently safe, heard, respected and understood.

This is why the therapeutic relationship is so important to me.

Techniques and psychological theories can provide valuable frameworks for our work, but they cannot replace the relationship between psychotherapist and client.

I therefore aim to create a therapeutic environment where you can explore difficult experiences without fear of judgement, while also feeling able to question, disagree, challenge or correct me. You do not have to agree with everything I say. In fact, I want you to feel able to tell me when something doesn't feel right.

Psychotherapy should be a collaborative process.

My role is not to become the authority on your life. It is to bring my psychological knowledge, professional experience and therapeutic skills into the room while recognising that you are the person who knows your own life from the inside.

Together, we can explore what has happened, how it has affected you, how you have learned to cope and what you may want to do differently.

For me, this is at the heart of ethical, compassionate and genuinely person-centred psychotherapy.

Understanding the Whole Person

My experience has taught me that psychological difficulties rarely exist in isolation.

People are complex, and our mental health can be influenced by our relationships, early experiences, environment, physical health, identity, beliefs, circumstances and the ways we have learned to cope with the world around us.

I therefore try to understand the whole person rather than focusing solely on a presenting symptom or diagnosis.

I have extensive experience supporting people whose difficulties do not fit neatly into a single category. Sometimes what initially appears to be anxiety may have much deeper roots. Sometimes anger may be protecting something more vulnerable. Sometimes behaviours that appear destructive or unhelpful began as understandable ways of coping with circumstances that were once extremely difficult. Understanding how these patterns developed does not mean excusing them. It can, however, provide an opportunity to develop greater self-awareness and ultimately greater choice.

My role is to help you explore these patterns without judgement, understand what they may be communicating and consider whether there are different ways of responding.

What Does Psychotherapy Involve?

People rarely seek psychotherapy because every aspect of their life is perfect. Sometimes there is a clear reason for seeking help: a bereavement, relationship breakdown, traumatic experience, addiction, anxiety, depression, significant life transition or a crisis that has made coping particularly difficult. At other times, it can be much harder to explain. You may simply feel that you aren't yourself. You might feel overwhelmed, emotionally exhausted, stuck, disconnected or unable to understand why you continue responding to situations in the same way. You may have spent years coping, surviving or putting everyone else's needs before your own. You might know what you are feeling without understanding why. Or perhaps you understand intellectually what is happening but still find yourself unable to change it. You don't have to arrive with all the answers. You don't even have to know exactly what is wrong. Part of our work together can be understanding that. I offer a safe, confidential and non-judgemental environment where you can talk openly about experiences, thoughts and emotions that may be difficult to discuss elsewhere.

I will listen carefully, ask questions when appropriate and help you explore your experiences at a pace that feels manageable for you. I won't tell you what you should think or feel. Equally, I won't simply sit silently while you talk if what you need is more active support, reflection and exploration.

I believe psychotherapy works best when it is collaborative, honest, respectful and human.

Difficult Subjects Are Welcome Here

You don't need to protect me from the things you need to talk about. Through my professional experience and specialist training, I have developed knowledge and experience in areas including trauma, sexual abuse, addiction, self-harm, suicide awareness and complex mental health difficulties. I understand that some experiences can be incredibly difficult to speak about, particularly when shame, fear, guilt or uncertainty are involved. You may have never told anyone certain things before. You may worry about being judged. You may even worry about what it means to say something out loud.

My role is not to judge your experiences or your reactions to them. It is to provide a professional, contained and compassionate environment in which difficult subjects can be explored safely and at a pace appropriate for you. You remain in control of what you share and when.

Meaningful Change Takes Time

I believe meaningful psychological change is often a process rather than an event. Sometimes psychotherapy can provide practical tools and noticeable changes relatively quickly. At other times, understanding and changing longstanding patterns requires greater time, patience and exploration.

There is no universal timetable for psychotherapy.

Some difficulties may have developed over months; others may have roots extending much further into a person's life. It would therefore be unrealistic to suggest that every difficulty can be resolved within a predetermined number of sessions. Our work will be guided by your needs, your goals and what feels appropriate for you.

We can regularly review whether psychotherapy remains useful, whether your goals are changing and whether the way we are working together continues to meet your needs.

Areas I Can Help With

I have experience working with a broad range of emotional, psychological and life difficulties, including:

- Anxiety and chronic worry

- Depression and low mood

- Stress, overwhelm and burnout

- Trauma and post-traumatic stress

- Childhood and developmental trauma

- Abuse, including sexual abuse

- Self-harm

- Suicidal thoughts and emotional crisis

- Addiction and substance misuse

- Eating difficulties and eating disorders

- Obsessions and OCD

- Phobias and fears

- Bereavement, grief and loss

- Relationship difficulties

- Anger and emotional regulation

- Self-esteem and self-worth

- Confidence and motivation

- Identity and sexuality

- Women's issues

- Infertility and reproductive loss

- Health-related difficulties

- Disability and adjustment to life changes

- Cultural issues

- Personal development

- Life transitions

- Coaching and goal-focused work

This list is not exhaustive.

You may be experiencing something that isn't listed here, or you may find it difficult to put what you're experiencing into a particular category. That's okay.

Sometimes the most useful first conversation is simply to explain what has been happening and explore whether I may be the right psychotherapist to support you.

My Therapeutic Approaches

Person-Centred Therapy

Person-centred therapy is at the heart of my practice. It is founded on the belief that individuals have the capacity for personal growth and change when they are offered the right therapeutic conditions.

I will offer empathy, acceptance and genuine understanding while helping you explore your experiences in a way that feels safe and meaningful.

Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT)

CBT explores the relationship between thoughts, feelings and behaviours. It can be particularly helpful when you feel caught in cycles of negative thinking, avoidance or behaviours that may be maintaining distress.

Together, we can identify these patterns, examine the thoughts and beliefs associated with them and explore alternative ways of thinking and responding.

Psychodynamic Therapy

Psychodynamic therapy considers how earlier experiences, relationships and unconscious emotional processes can influence our present-day thoughts, feelings, behaviour and relationships.

This can be particularly useful when you find yourself repeating patterns, experiencing relationship difficulties or having emotional responses that seem disproportionate or difficult to understand.

Exploring the past is not about becoming trapped in it. It is about understanding how previous experiences may continue to influence the present.

Adlerian Therapy

Adlerian therapy explores how early experiences, relationships and our developing beliefs about ourselves and the world can influence our behaviour and choices.

It can help us understand the meaning and purpose behind patterns that may once have helped us cope, but may no longer be serving us.

Gestalt Therapy

Gestalt therapy focuses on increasing awareness of what is happening for you in the present moment, including your thoughts, emotions, physical responses and interactions with others.

It can help you recognise patterns and develop greater awareness of yourself, your relationships and the ways in which you respond to your environment.

Behavioural Therapy

Behavioural approaches focus on how behaviours develop and are maintained. They can be particularly useful when working with avoidance, compulsive behaviours, fears, phobias and addictions.

The focus is often on identifying patterns and developing alternative, more helpful ways of responding.

Brief and Solution-Focused Therapy

Not everyone wants or needs long-term psychotherapy.

Sometimes you have a specific problem and want help identifying practical solutions and achievable steps forward.

Brief and solution-focused approaches can help you recognise existing strengths, clarify your goals and develop strategies for creating meaningful change.

Coaching and Personal Development

Psychotherapy isn't exclusively about mental health difficulties. You may want to develop greater confidence, understand yourself better, make an important life decision, change an established pattern or work towards a personal or professional goal.

Where appropriate, I can incorporate coaching principles into our work to help you develop greater self-awareness, identify your strengths and move towards the future you want.

Creative and Experiential Techniques

Sometimes emotions and experiences are difficult to express through conversation alone.

Where appropriate, I may use creative or experiential techniques to help explore feelings, memories and experiences that may be difficult to put into words.

These approaches can be particularly useful when verbal communication alone doesn't quite capture what you are experiencing.

Why Choose Me?

I believe effective psychotherapy requires more than qualifications alone. My academic background gives me a strong foundation in psychological theory and research. My almost 20 years of professional experience have allowed me to develop a practical understanding of the complexities of mental health and the many circumstances that can affect a person's wellbeing.

My extensive continued professional development means that I continue to expand and refine my knowledge throughout my career.

My professional experience across psychotherapy, mental health advocacy and homelessness prevention has also taught me that psychological difficulties cannot always be separated from the wider circumstances of a person's life.

My integrative approach allows me to adapt psychotherapy to the person sitting in front of me rather than expecting every client to work in the same way.

Most importantly, I want you to feel that you can be yourself. You don't need to impress me. You don't need to have the right words. You don't need to arrive knowing exactly what you want to talk about.

You can be angry, confused, frightened, embarrassed, overwhelmed, numb, exhausted or simply unsure. We can start wherever you are. If You're Nervous About Getting in Touch

You may never have experienced psychotherapy before, or perhaps you've had an experience in the past that wasn't right for you.

You might even be wondering whether your problems are "bad enough" to justify seeking help. You don't need to justify needing support.

If something is affecting your thoughts, emotions, relationships or quality of life, it is reasonable to want to understand it and seek help. You are also not committing to long-term psychotherapy simply by making contact.

An initial conversation can be an opportunity to discuss what you are looking for, ask questions and consider whether you feel I would be the right psychotherapist for you.

Finding the right therapeutic relationship matters. You should feel able to ask questions, express concerns and decide whether working together feels right for you.

Ultimately, Psychotherapy Is About You There is no single correct way to experience psychotherapy.

Some clients want somewhere to talk and be heard. Others want to understand the origins of their difficulties. Some want practical strategies and tools, while others need space to process experiences that they have carried for a long time.

Often, it is a combination of these things. My aim is to meet you where you are, understand what you need and develop our work together rather than expecting you to fit into a particular therapeutic model.

You don't have to have everything figured out before you contact me. You simply need to recognise that something could be different.

If you would like to discuss what you are experiencing or find out whether I might be the right psychotherapist for you, please feel welcome to get in touch. You have already taken the first step by considering psychotherapy. You don't have to take the next one alone.

I have specialist knowledge, interest and experience in the following areas:

• Anxiety
• Depression
• Addiction
• Homelessness
• Bereavement
• Panic Disorder
• Relationship Issues
• Generalised Anxiety Disorder
• Hoarding
• Mental Health
• Coaching
• Family Issues
• Bipolar Disorder
• Suicide
• Self Harm
• Affairs and Betrayals
• Abuse
• Rape
• Domestic Violence
• Illness
• Work Related Issues
• Bullying
• Sexual Issues
• Sex Addiction

I offer a safe and discreet office for face to face sessions in a comfortable and relaxing environment where hot drinks and water are provided should you need a drink. Parking is available at the front of the building and within walking distance of the office. I am able to deliver therapy in the following ways:

• Long-term face-to-face work
• Online counselling
• Short-term face-to-face work
• Telephone counselling
• Time-limited

Within my client work, I use three core conditions to ensure I am working with your best interests in mind at all times. These core conditions are:

Empathy
If you have lost a loved one, and later in life a friend confides in you that they have just lost a loved one, you can almost be certain that the feelings you have towards your friend include empathy. This is much deeper than sympathy, when a person feels empathy for another, what they are actually doing is feeling just as that person is feeling. They are metaphorically putting themselves right into the shoes of that person and feeling the same emotions, the same pains, the same fears, the same thoughts, the same worries. To empathise with someone is to feel that persons feelings on a much deeper level. Empathy within a counselling environment of course needs to have certain limits, for example it would be counter productive for the counsellor to literally feel all the emotions that the client was feeling- if this were the case the counsellor would be unable to properly counsel the client. And of course if the counsellor felt this way for every client, he/she would ultimately suffer with emotional burn-out. The skill for a counsellor is to empathise with the client on a deep level whilst remaining professional- easier said than done but with practice and supervision it does get easier.

Congruence
Congruence is a term used to describe the ability to be genuine and open. If you were to enter a room whereby you were asked to share your most inner feelings, would you feel comfortable doing so if the person listening to you was wearing a clown’s mask? (probably not). To be congruent, you must be yourself, no masks, no lies, no fears of judgement. A counsellor (in order to be congruent) must be able to show a genuineness and level of openness and honesty that enables the client to relax safe in the knowledge that the counsellor isn’t being ‘fake’. If a client can see that the counsellor is genuine and honest, they themselves will feel able to open up in a genuine manner too.

Unconditional Positive Regard
Total unconditional positive regard describes the ability to look beyond every human flaw, every bad deed or disagreement, and treat a person with total respect love and value regardless of who they are or what they have done, what they believe or what they stand for. It is a very instinctive desire for each of us to want to be liked, valued, loved and appreciated- even from very early childhood we aspire to be loved- preferably unconditionally, however many find it challenging to love without conditions or expectations. The role of a counsellor is leave all judgements at the door. I believe a good counsellor has the ability to look into the eyes of their client, and deal with the client in that moment- no expectations, no judgement, no hatred, no conditions, just simple love and respect for a fellow human being regardless of flaws and faults, age, sex, religion, crime, sexual orientation, values, or anything else that we tend to put in the way of deep loving relationships. Only where unconditional positive regard lives, can a person truly feel strong enough to show their true self to another. In the role of counsellor, if a client is given total positive regard, they will feel safe and secure enough to truly unravel the issues that need to be dealt with. Without fear.