Welcome to Samantha McEwan Psychotherapy -Trauma, anxiety and depression therapist. Kilmarnock and online.
Hi, my name is Samantha McEwan. I am a BACP registered psychotherapist and mental health nurse providing psychological therapy in Kilmarnock, Ayrshire and online.
Over 25 years of core profession experience as a mental health nurse has underpinned and enhanced my psychotherapy practice with a framework for high standards of ethical, clinical and professional practice.
My clinical background means I have a deep understanding of mental health issues and am experienced in working with complex difficulties. I also naturally consider physical health, the familial, relational contexts that people grow up in and influence their lives, as well as the impact of education or work dynamics.
I help my clients work through a wide range of difficulties affecting their mental health and wellbeing in their personal, relational or working lives such as:
- social or generalised anxiety and panic
- depression and self-criticism
- Feeling not good enough and low confidence
- overthinking and rumination
- poor emotion regulation
- relationship issues
- binge eating disorder or bulimia nervosa
- childhood trauma such as neglect or abuse
- chronic or complex trauma and PTSD/ cPTSD
- career difficulties, workplace stress, bullying or burnout
Clients experience a supportive, compassionate, and trauma-informed approach based on Cognitive Behaviour Therapy, from
the perspective of understanding and working with the impact of early or adult life experiences on wellbeing, identity and relationships.
Additional therapies I integrate depending on individual client needs are:
- ACT - Acceptance and Commitment Therapy
- CFT- Compassion Focused Therapy
- DBT- Dialectical Behavioural Therapy skills,
- Mindfulness Based CBT (adapted for trauma)
- Trauma processing therapy
Reconnecting with your life and future
Often when difficult experiences affect our health and wellbeing we can lose our sense of agency, identity, self-worth, strengths, boundaries and purpose - therapy can help you to foster reconnection with these.
In therapy we will work together to:
- Identify what you'd like to be better or different, and how you'll know when you get there.
- Recognise what needs to change -this might mean letting go of or changing values, behaviours, relationship patterns or beliefs about yourself that are no longer helpful or are holding you back.
- Explore and process patterns, emotions and past experiences that may have created difficulties, helping you understand how they’ve shaped the way you see yourself and others.
- Take steps to develop, re-build and move forward with emotional and mental clarity, renewed sense of self, wellbeing, meaning and purpose - perhaps with more assertiveness and a deeper connection to your values, confidence, resilience and relationships.
"Samantha picks things up about my situation very quickly. She is so transparent and calming and gets to the heart of things."
Benefit of therapy for my clients
It is always a real privilege to be alongside each of my clients on their journey. My clients have often fed back that they benefitted from my kind, active and direct approach in therapy, enabling them to get to the root of their difficulties and move forward with a clearer headspace and improved sense of self, identity and confidence.
Starting Therapy
Choosing a therapist is about finding the right clinical fit. I offer an informal, no obligation and free of charge 20-30 minute consultation call prior to starting therapy to see whether my way of working is a good fit for you. Many people worry about knowing where to start -I guide the conversation by asking a little about the problem or issue you would like help with, how it is affecting you just now, and talk through how I may be able to help, and answer any questions you might have. You won't be asked to go into lots of detail -you're in control of what you share.
Please do feel free to get in touch- I try respond to enquiries within one working day, via email.
"I'm so thankful I connected with Samantha. She is professional, responsive and sensitive, while also knowledgeable and straightforward with me. The way she understands me has been a long-awaited breath of fresh air. She validates my emotions and experiences and works carefully with me to identify patterns and goals".
