Change at the root
Specialist adults and couples counselling & psychotherapy in Ilkley, West Yorkshire and online
An experienced and highly qualified counsellor and psychotherapist here to offer clarity and insight with a focus on life long change.
I'm Samantha, an experienced and highly qualified Trauma-Informed Counsellor, Psychotherapist and Couples Counsellor based in Ilkley, West Yorkshire. I provide in person appointments in Bradford and Leeds, as well as online appointments across the UK. I'm also registered and accredited by BACP (British Association of Counselling and Psychotherapy) and adhere to their ethical framework and professional standards.
My experience and training spans 26 years, some in the voluntary sector, the NHS, and for the last 20 years in private practice.
My specialist areas of study and experience are ; Couples Counselling/Relationship Psychotherapy and Childhood Trauma (abuse and neglect)
Counselling & psychotherapy for adults & couples
We are all unique with different past experiences, emotional wounds, viewpoints, worldviews, quirks and brains that have developed differently to others, which is completely normal. I don't underestimate the importance of my role, how life changing it can be for you. I'll help you understand yourself on a deeper emotional level, help you connect with parts of yourself you may have disconnected from, creating a life you feel happier within and living the life you deserve."
Alongside my professional training, I also understand this work from the client perspective as I’ve been on my own healing journey. This experience allows me to show up to each appointment with genuine empathy, patience and an understanding of how much courage it takes to walk through the door.
I'm passionate about helping people gain a deeper understanding of who they are, what's holding them back from thriving, and helping them get to where they want to be.
Whether you're feeling stressed, fearful, down or low in mood, angry, feeling alone or overworking, I can help you untangle difficult thoughts and emotions and understand the experiences that have caused your distress or overwhelm.
As a trauma-informed practitioner, part of my role is helping you develop self-awareness to understand how your unconscious and conscious reactions hold clues to your past, the root causes, while also helping you make conscious and healthier changes in the present.
I’ll bring my years of experience and expertise to each appointment, by sharing knowledge and information, helping you find clarity and work towards healing what hasn’t yet been resolved.
If you’re interested in counselling, psychotherapy, couples counselling or clinical supervision, please reach out if you have any questions.
How I can help you:
What issues can counselling help with?
People come to me for help with a wide range of issues. Here are a few of the more common difficulties that can be supported through counselling:
Feelings of stress, fear/overwhelm
Panic attacks
Impulsive, passive, avoidant
Relationship problems
Grief, loss or bereavement
Addictions - a reliance on a substance/activity
Childhood Trauma and PTSD
Feeling down or low in mood/depressed
Problems with confidence or self-esteem
Anger/frustration/aggressive
Difficulties at work or in retirement
Problems with family or friends
Client testimonials
Experience & specialisms
I've been supporting adults as a trauma-informed Psychotherapist and Counsellor in Bradford for 26 years. More recently I have expanded my services and now also offer counselling in Leeds.
Because my experience and training goes so far back, knowledge changes, so I updated my training in 2020, to incorporate up-to-date and modern Trauma theory and knowledge. This training helps me understand the impact traumatic childhood experiences (abuse and neglect) has on an individual, and how this affects the brain and nervous system, carrying through into adulthood. This is called Developmental Trauma, as the trauma affects the child's brain development (arrested development).
I'm also a Relationship Psychotherapist and specialise in Couples Counselling, Marriage Counselling, Couples Therapy in Ilkley, Bradford, and Leeds, and I really enjoy helping couples learn different ways of being in their relationship. I've been helping couples for over 10 years and hold post-graduate qualifications in Relationship Psychotherapy.
As well as helping couples with their relationships, I also help individuals to understand their relational patterns and attachment styles, helping them have the relationships they deserve.
I offer both online and in-person appointments in Ilkley Centre, near Leeds and Bradford.
Training & qualifications
- 2023-2024 - Advanced Diploma Adv(Dip) Relationship Psychotherapy - NAOS London
- 2020 - Modern Trauma Training with Bessell van der Kolk (The Body Keeps The Score)
- 2020 - Gottmans Couples Therapy Training
- 2014-2015 - Diploma (DipSup) Clinical Supervision - Leeds Centre for Psychological Development
- 2003-2005 - Masters Degree (MA) in Counselling - Bradford University
- 1999-2002 - Degree BA(Hons) Counselling & Psychology - Bradford University
Get in touch
I'm here to answer your questions and help you decide whether counselling or therapy is the right next step for you. If you'd like to arrange a free initial consultation, please get in touch. I offer in-person appointments in Ilkley Centre and online sessions across the UK.