Sam Gardner

I work in person on Fridays from my counselling room in central Edinburgh. I may extend this to a second day so do let me know if you would like to work in person and can't do Friday.

I work online and by phone Monday, Tuesday and Thursday.

Please get in touch for current availability.

You may be feeling anxious or struggling with low mood. Perhaps you're overwhelmed, or even underwhelmed, by life. Maybe you feel stuck, empty or lost, unsure how to find meaning or purpose. It may be none of the above, but something is hard for you at the moment and you feel you can't be alone with it any longer.

A safe therapeutic relationship can reduce the isolation of being with difficult feelings. I hope in working with me you'll feel warmly understood and accepted just as you are. I will listen closely and sensitively and give you my sense of what you share with me as fully as I can. This can help you to explore further, or clarify something that was foggy. It might touch on an unexpressed emotion or prompt a memory. Sometimes being really well heard is simple a huge relief. 

Being accurately understood with compassion can allow your body and nervous system to relax, bringing a sense of ease and openness which gets lost during times of difficulty and distress. You may begin to glimpse new possibilities for yourself, offering hope that there is a way forward.

Research shows what I have experienced in practice, that it is the therapeutic relationship, rather than the type of therapy, which is healing. I strive to create with you a collaborative, transparent and genuine relationship in which you can trust.

My training is in the person-centred approach which feels in sync with my values and way of being in relationship with others. This is important because I bring myself fully to my therapeutic work so that I can meet you openly without the sort of mask we can sometimes wear in our professional lives. The relationship is kept safe by appropriate boundaries and the BACP ethical framework.

I love learning and I regularly attend ongoing training for my professional development. Recently, I have been exploring trauma-informed therapeutic writing which can be part of our work together if writing is of interest to you. I've also been learning about the nervous system and how to access the wisdom of our bodies which can provide another way to understand and support ourselves.

I have experience working in two Edinburgh-based counselling agencies, and in my private practice, with clients who experience or want to explore:

• anxiety and depression
• work stress & overwork
• emotional burnout
• childhood abuse
• trauma
• loneliness
• sexuality
• search for self/identity
• family conflict
• relationship difficulties
• loss
• low self-esteem
• perfectionism

This is not an exhaustive list and the most important aspect of choosing a counsellor is finding someone who feels a good fit for you.

I usually suggest a free chat by phone or zoom as a first step. This is about 15 minutes and a chance to get a sense of me, touch briefly on what brings you to counselling and and ask any questions you might have. 

Alternatively, we can arrange a first session if you would feel more comfortable having the space to talk more fully straight away. This is charged at the normal rate.

In the first session, I will briefly run through some guidelines for working together safely, which I will also send to you to read in your own time. Then I will invite you to explore with me what you may be struggling with, at your own pace.