Samson Hill
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This professional is available for new clients.
This professional is available for new clients.
About me
How I work and how counselling can help
What it means to be human; despair, joy, sadness, anxiety, questioning our sense of self, identity, our belonging. A whole fabric of emotions and experiences that can sometimes feel overwhelming and isolating. Our past experiences and future concerns can impact the present and how we show up in our lives. I hold a space for all emotions and feelings whilst we co-create a trusting relationship together that can promote change, where you’re accepted and can find yourself again in a world where you may be told to be something other than who you really are. I am person-centred, being alongside you and your humanness as you connect to and come into relationship with yourself and to what brings you to counselling.
I work experientially, in a way that sees you as a whole person, offering a gentle curiosity around how you experience the world. Whatever issue you’re facing, we can work together in a nurturing environment, discovering new ways of being. This may be galvanised by coming closer to who you are, forging new relationships with parts of yourself (sometimes younger parts) that have been calling to be noticed and looking at situations with a fresh lens. I offer my presence to you for this to unfold, without giving advice or analysis. I believe no-one can know your reality the way that you do, you are the expert. I trust in you, I trust in me and the changes our therapeutic relationship can support.
I am also co-founder of Flow Counselling Sussex, a small private counselling practice carefully created with the client at the heart.
Other approaches informing my work
I value drawing on other approaches such as, compassionate inquiry, existentialism, and the transpersonal; helping clients find meaning and explore questions about their lives, which for example might include eco-anxiety due to climate change. I hold all counselling theories lightly, meeting each client anew with what is arising in the moment. I’m led by you, the client, which informs how we work together and if we bring in different ways of approaching sessions, such as creativity. We work by invitation rather than obligation.
Personal experience and my commitment to you
I have personal experience of mental health issues and having ‘dark nights of the soul’. I’ve been on my own counselling journey of healing, which was and still is important in shaping me as a person and counsellor, increasing my capacity to empathise and understand elements of suffering. However, I meet you as an individual with your unique lens on the world, honouring our differences. My commitment to you is to continue a path of learning and development, increasing self-awareness and engaging in self care in order to support you safely, effectively and ethically.
The steps for us starting counselling together
It can be daunting to know what to expect when reaching out to a counsellor so I wanted to outline the steps below:-
1. Contact me via e-mail
2. This gives you an opportunity to get a sense of me and arrange a free initial 20 minute consultation session which can be done online, in person or on the telephone.
3. This 20 minute consultation session allows me to find out a bit more about you, what brings you to counselling and ensures we can work safely and ethically together.
4. If you decide you would like to start counselling with me, I will send you welcome information confirming our first counselling session.
What to expect in your first session
Our first session together will involve touching on some important parts of the counselling agreement/contract to create a clear understanding of the counselling relationship framework and what that looks like, managing any expectations you may have about the journey. It feels really important to offer transparency and holding in this way as a foundation to explore together the things that you bring to counselling. The space will then be yours to start looking in more detail at these areas. Sessions are for 50 minutes and I will gently remind you when there are 5-10 minutes remaining, that we will soon be coming to the end of our time together for that session.
What happens if you decide I am not the right counsellor for you
Throughout our work together I will regularly check in with you; to see how things are going, whether you are getting what you need from counselling etc. If you find I am not the right fit for you at any point in our counselling relationship, there is no obligation for you to continue our work together. I honour you connecting to what feels right for you. I invite a conversation and the opportunity to arrange an ending session.
Training, qualifications & experience
My experience and interests
I welcome everyone to my practice, having worked with a range of clients in areas such as self-esteem, relationships, trauma, depression, anxiety and neurodiversity. I have a special interest in working with spiritual/transpersonal/non-ordinary experiences as well as eco-anxiety. I have experience of supporting people through death, loss and transition, through my training and work as an End of Life Doula.
I’ve worked affirmatively with clients at MindOut, a local LGBTQ+ mental health charity, exploring specific issues around Gender Identity and Expression, Sexual and Relationship Diversity. I recognise the systemic strains many members of marginalised groups face, as well as the stigma and shame that can arise and how important it is to give compassionate attention to this in the therapy space.
Qualifications
My qualifications to date include but are not limited to:-
- CPCAB Diploma in Therapeutic Counselling
- Tavistock and Portman NHS Families and Beyond: An Introduction to Systemic Thinking
- End of Life Doula Foundation Course and Diploma in the LWDW Person-centred Approach to Death and Dying
- LWDW Certificate in Advance Planning for End of Life
- Integrative Counselling and Therapy (Certificate – 250hrs Theory, 128hrs Practical)
- Counselling Skills (Level 2 Certificate (QCF)
- Mentoring in Practice (NOCN – Level 2 Certificate in Progression (QCF)
- BSc (Hons) Forensic Science (First Class)
Continuing Professional Development (CPD) training
- Grassroots Suicide Prevention ASIST: Applied Suicide Interventions Skills
- Anti-racism Training
- Trans 101 Training MindOut
- Gender, Sexual and Relationship Diversity (GSRD)
- Working with Soul: Creating a trellis for spirituality in therapeutic practice
- LGBTQ+ Suicide Awareness MindOut
- Cutting-Edge Person-Centred Expressive Arts
- Therapeutic Photography
- City Lit Introduction to Therapeutic Writing
- Gabor Maté Compassionate Inquiry Master Class: A powerful approach for healing anxiety, addictions, ADHD, and more
- Shinrin Yoku Forest Bathing Practitioners Course
Member organisations
Being registered/accredited with a professional body means an individual must have achieved a substantial level of training and experience approved by their member organisation.
The National Counselling and Psychotherapy Society
This Not For Profit association of counsellors and psychotherapists aim to support the counselling profession, members and training organisations.
In 2013 the NCS register was accredited by the Professional Standards Authority under the Accredited Voluntary Register Scheme. Accredited by the Professional Standards Authority.
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.
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
- Non-ordinary/transpersonal experiences
- End of life (life limiting illnesses)
- Loss
- Death anxiety
- Climate related including Eco-anxiety/Eco-grief
- LGBTQIA+🏳️🌈 issues
- Identity Issues
- Non-Binary
- Trans Identity
- Gender queer
Therapies offered
Fees
£11.00 - £50.00
Free initial in-person, telephone or online session
Concessions offered for
Additional information
Fees have been chosen sensitively, considering access to provision of counselling services.
Limited spaces available in each pricing bracket.
£50 per 50 minutes (Short/Long Term Counselling)
£35 per 50 minutes (Short/Long Term Counselling)
£11 per 50 minutes (Based on real living wage - 12 Sessions)
When I work
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Practice Mondays in person/online from premises in Peacehaven (just outside Brighton) and offer online sessions on Tuesdays. Sessions available between 8am-6pm (last session 6pm).
Further information
'It's a privilege to sit with someone, to witness and hear their story.'
