Samantha Ryan, BACP

Samantha Ryan offers a calm, non-judgemental space where people can explore their lives at their own pace. She uses a person-centred way of working and brings a trauma-informed outlook to sessions. Samantha holds BACP accreditation and has worked in counselling for 10 years across different settings in the United Kingdom.

Her background includes several years supporting survivors of childhood sexual abuse while working at a charity. She has also provided counselling in a hospital setting for people affected by cancer and at a women’s centre dealing with a wide range of concerns. More recently she has combined private practice work with voluntary roles, offering one-to-one counselling and complementary therapies such as reiki.

Samantha focuses on helping people recover from trauma and rebuild a sense of self. She aims to help clients find safety and trust, and to notice the strengths that have carried them through difficult times. Sessions are paced to suit the individual, with space to work through painful memories and also to mark small steps forward.

People come to her with many issues including stress, anxiety, depression, grief, relationship and intimacy difficulties, addiction, eating and sleeping problems, parenting strain, anger, and coping with long-term illness or disability. She also supports work around attachment, abandonment, body image and communication problems.

Her style is warm and steady. She listens without judgement and seeks to be present through both hard moments and moments of progress. If someone wants help that centres their own story, Samantha offers a listening, practical approach tailored to each person.

How therapeutic approaches translate to online work

Client-Centred Therapy places the person’s experience at the heart of sessions. The therapist follows the client’s lead, listens with empathy, and helps the person make sense of their feelings and choices. This approach is useful for issues like stress, low self-esteem, relationship concerns and many life changes.

Trauma-Focused Therapy looks specifically at the impact of traumatic events. It helps people process painful memories, build safety and develop coping skills for intrusive memories, hyperarousal and trust issues. This way of working can support recovery from abuse, assault and other past harms.

Finding the right method is a shared task. Samantha will talk with each person about their concerns, goals and what feels manageable. Together they consider which approach, pace and focus will fit best, and adjustments are made as work progresses.

If you are thinking about online sessions, please check which formats this therapist currently offers before booking. Online therapy can make it easier to fit sessions into a busy week, reduce travel time, and allow people to keep working while managing appointments. It can also allow shorter check-ins when that suits, or sessions without video if preferred. Confirm the available options when you arrange sessions so they match your needs and day-to-day life.