Samantha Rice

Sessions are available:

Monday 9:30am-6:30pm

Tuesday 9:30am-11:00am

Friday 9:30am-4:00pm

My availability changes frequently - please contact me to find out about current spaces.

My sessions are 50 minutes and are normally offered weekly at the same time and day.  

I am a fully qualified person-centred counsellor. This means that I will work alongside you in whatever it is that you are struggling with. I will not tell you what to do, as I believe that we are the greatest experts on ourselves. I will be guided by you, and we will work at your pace.

I have found through personal experience, that with the support of the safe, non-judgemental environment that counselling can provide, we have the ability to connect with our true selves, to understand our feelings better and to find growth from the strength that this brings.

We may not always know how to express or name our feelings or what we are experiencing, but given the space to explore this, in a safe and non-judgemental environment can help us to gain clarity, strength and a deeper understanding of ourselves, in whatever we are facing.

General

Working as a volunteer for a large mental health charity, I have experience supporting clients with a wide range of difficulties, ranging from low mood, self-esteem, anxiety and depression as well as challenging relationships and family difficulties. 

Grief, Bereavement and Loss

Having experience of working with many bereaved clients, as well as those with a chronic or terminal illness and their families, I have a good understanding of the complexities of emotions that can be associated with grief and loss. Particularly the difficulties when experiencing feelings that cannot be expressed to those around us. It can feel incredibly lonely and isolating, as we often don’t want to ‘burden’ our loved ones with what we may be carrying, for fear of upsetting them or making their own pain worse.

When we are faced with any type of loss or bereavement, it can feel overwhelming, and you may wonder if you’ll ever feel like yourself again. You may be trying to ‘pour from an empty cup’ and feel exhausted trying to manage everything. Counselling can give you the opportunity to experience the care, time and space that you may need. 

The sessions

I offer one to one sessions in person, online or on the telephone. 

I fully appreciate how difficult it can be to take that first step to talk to someone and finding the right therapist for you can feel daunting. Questions and enquiries are always welcome. I offer an initial free 20-30-minute consultation over the phone so you can ask any questions, see how I work and get a sense of who I am and if you want to work with me.

My first session is a collaborative process of getting to know each other.  We will run though aspects of the counselling relationship, such as confidentiality, which you will also be given details of in writing through my professional contract. I have a contract in place with all clients, which ensures there is clarity around what is expected from both parties, which helps to build a feeling of safety. This first session may feel different to your subsequent counselling sessions as I will be asking more direct questions, to help me to gain an understanding of your needs.