Samantha Richardson

~ SESSIONS AVAILABLE ~

Tuesday through to Friday

Daytime and Evenings

In-person & Online

Feeling nobody quite "GETS YOU"?  Brain feels scrambled with ADHD or ASD masking becoming challenging? Struggling with drugs, alcohol or mental health? Feel unheard or judged?  Anxiety or depression taking over your life?

Welcome to PEACE n MIND Counselling in Rochester

Have you been recommended to seek counselling for an addiction or need some support with your mental health or a recent diagnosis? Starting tasks but overwhemed to finish as you ADHD gets the better of you? Struggle to open up or express how you feel to your partner, family or friends as 'they just don't get you'? Anxiety and panic attacks starting to control your life but not sure what is triggering them? 

Introduction

My name is Sam and I welcome you as even getting this far you may have had to deal with anxiety, hurdles or people telling you to just learn to deal with it.

Often trying to figure out if and what support you may need can feel like a minefield in itself. The thought of talking to a stranger about our problems and feelings can make us feel vulnerable and exposed. The beauty of talking to a counsellor though is we are neutral and independent of your situation which can make it easier to open up. We are also here to listen to you and your concerns, not bring our own problems into the discussion as well. 

About me

My core therapeutic practice is Person-Centred but I am also trained in several other Humanistic approaches which means I can tailor therapy to meet your individual needs. I am trained to also offer psycho-social and educational support in addictions which I integrate within counselling when needed. 

Person-centred counselling is like a talking therapy, focussing on you as an individual rather than just seeing your problems/concerns.  It is, I feel, very unique for clients struggling with addiction/mental health as we view the client as the expert of their life and we are not here to judge or tell you what you should be doing.  Rather we listen and get to understand your needs and what makes you who you are. This can be very different to what most clients have experienced when engaged in other services or with mental health. This alone can be very beneficial in clients feeling heard, supported and empowered. 

The therapeutic relationship is at the core of counselling, so I feel it's just as important that I share about myself with you too. I believe life experience is just as important as academic qualifications and I have had the privilege of working with many clients from a vast array of backgrounds.

Whilst running my private practice, I have also volunteered for 2 years as a counsellor with a charity for the homeless supporting clients involved in the criminal justice system due to struggles with addictions, trauma and other complex mental health issues.  

Before training as a counsellor, I worked for 12 years in several addiction services and in criminal justice.  My roles included supporting clients who struggled with alcohol and substance misuse, anxiety and depression, BPD, ADHD, paranoia, suicidal idealisation and self-harm.   

As I undertook my counselling training I worked  for 6 years in a secondary school SEN Team, and I attended specialist training to enable me to support students with diagnosed ADHD, ADD, ASD and Sensory Disorders.  

What's next?

I would be happy to arrange a brief introductory telephone call if you would like to speak in person if you have any queries or before booking an assessment.  An assessment or as I like to call it, 'getting to know each other', is a chance for me to get an understanding of you and your needs but also an opportunity for you to ask any questions.  Assessments are usually an hour long. You will not be under any obligation to book counselling sessions if it doesn't feel right for you. 

Please feel free to also visit my website for more information. Please note, I am often with clients during the day so not always available to answer phone calls so please feel free to leave an answerphone message or text and I will reply within 24 hours during a working week.  Or alternatively, complete the contact form.