SAM
ADHD & ASD COUNSELLOR
GRIEF & LOSS THERAPIST
LATE DIAGNOSIS SUPPORT
PARENTING SUPPORT
AWAITING ADHD & ASD DIAGNOSIS
LOCATION ~ DA16
The realisation that Sam herself has ADHD and ASD only came about in her early 50’s when getting help for her daughter who is now diagnosed with Inattentive ADHD. Sam had been wanting to gain more information to help her ADHD counselling clients when she suddenly had the lightbulb moment that she had the condition herself.
Many of Sam’s clients were neurodiverse and she now realises why she was attracting so many of them! She understood their brains because she had the same brain herself.
Her daughter is also awaiting an ASD diagnosis and her son is diagnosed with Dyslexia. His school is currently investigating him for other neurodiverse conditions.
The revelation that if her daughter was ADHD there was an 85% chance that either she or her daughter’s dad were ADHD was immense. It was like a veil had lifted, all the procrastination, need for independence, overwhelm and anxiety now made sense. She’d been measuring herself up against neurotypical people all of her life!
Sam was an accountant in London until her 40’s but never felt like she fitted in, especially struggling with the quiet, professional and claustrophobic office environment.
She requalified as a counsellor in her 40’s after losing her middle child during labour. She attended a local support group run by the charity SANDS who help parents through loss and realised she had a passion for helping people.
She trained as a befriender and helped run her local support group for ten years. Sam loves being a counsellor – being free to work with her clients as she wishes as she struggled being told what to do and is now able to be more in control of her own calendar and life. On the flip side she does recognise the need to make sure she switches off regularly to make sure she doesn’t burn-out, a common occurrence for someone with ADHD.
Sam always felt misunderstood in her studies too. She was always a keen participant in class but that never showed in her exam results and the same then happened with her son and daughter. The phrase “how they come across in class, and what they put down on paper are very different” has been said about both her children. She’s passionate about helping parents understand their ND children and educating anyone who will listen!
Time blindness has been another issue for Sam and her Alexa is her best friend giving her and her children reminders so that they don’t lose track of time.
Sam’s daughter wasn’t diagnosed until 17 because she was very good at masking her traits. When puberty hit, she was diagnosed with anxiety and panic attacks but this was all due to overwhelm, difficulty in regulating her emotions and feeling like she didn’t fit in.
Whilst Sam’s ADHD is milder, it has been especially problematic during perimenopause. So, although she’s probably been unconsciously masking her ADHD traits for 5 decades, she is sure the hormonal changes have exacerbated the symptoms.
Sam had to work at not butting in when doing her counselling training! She had thought it was her just being rude or too keen to get her point across but ‘interrupting’ turned out to be an ADHD trait too.
Sam has a passion for allowing clients to accept themselves for who they are. This is so important for ADHD clients as they tend to beat themselves up for being different or not being good enough. Sam firmly believes ADHD doesn’t have to be a negative, She helps her clients recognise the many positive ADHD traits and harness what’s great about themselves.
Sam also volunteers for Frontline 19 and Isolation Help Bexley and until recently used to volunteer for SANDS and CRUSE the bereavement charities.
Qualifications
- Sands Befriender Training 2010
- NCFE level 2 in Counselling 2011
- NCFE level 3 in Counselling 2012
- Cruse Bereavement Care Training 2013
- Diploma in Integrative Counselling level 4 2015
- Diploma course in Relationship Counselling 2020
- Working Online BACP 2020
- Eating Disorders and Trauma Workshop 2021
- Safeguarding Awareness 2021
- Covid 19 Psychological First Aid training 2021
- Inner Child Workshop 2022
- ADHD Awareness course 2023
- ACCA Qualified 2004
Training provided to others by Sam
- Pre and Post Bereavement in a Cancer Support Group Setting 2021
SAM
ADHD & ASD COUNSELLOR
GRIEF & LOSS THERAPIST
LATE DIAGNOSIS SUPPORT
PARENTING SUPPORT
AWAITING ADHD & ASD DIAGNOSIS
LOCATION ~ DA16
The realisation that Sam herself has ADHD and ASD only came about in her early 50’s when getting help for her daughter who is now diagnosed with Inattentive ADHD. Sam had been wanting to gain more information to help her ADHD counselling clients when she suddenly had the lightbulb moment that she had the condition herself.
Many of Sam’s clients were neurodiverse and she now realises why she was attracting so many of them! She understood their brains because she had the same brain herself.
Her daughter is also awaiting an ASD diagnosis and her son is diagnosed with Dyslexia. His school is currently investigating him for other neurodiverse conditions.
The revelation that if her daughter was ADHD there was an 85% chance that either she or her daughter’s dad were ADHD was immense. It was like a veil had lifted, all the procrastination, need for independence, overwhelm and anxiety now made sense. She’d been measuring herself up against neurotypical people all of her life!
Sam was an accountant in London until her 40’s but never felt like she fitted in, especially struggling with the quiet, professional and claustrophobic office environment.
She requalified as a counsellor in her 40’s after losing her middle child during labour. She attended a local support group run by the charity SANDS who help parents through loss and realised she had a passion for helping people.
She trained as a befriender and helped run her local support group for ten years. Sam loves being a counsellor – being free to work with her clients as she wishes as she struggled being told what to do and is now able to be more in control of her own calendar and life. On the flip side she does recognise the need to make sure she switches off regularly to make sure she doesn’t burn-out, a common occurrence for someone with ADHD.
Sam always felt misunderstood in her studies too. She was always a keen participant in class but that never showed in her exam results and the same then happened with her son and daughter. The phrase “how they come across in class, and what they put down on paper are very different” has been said about both her children. She’s passionate about helping parents understand their ND children and educating anyone who will listen!
Time blindness has been another issue for Sam and her Alexa is her best friend giving her and her children reminders so that they don’t lose track of time.
Sam’s daughter wasn’t diagnosed until 17 because she was very good at masking her traits. When puberty hit, she was diagnosed with anxiety and panic attacks but this was all due to overwhelm, difficulty in regulating her emotions and feeling like she didn’t fit in.
Whilst Sam’s ADHD is milder, it has been especially problematic during perimenopause. So, although she’s probably been unconsciously masking her ADHD traits for 5 decades, she is sure the hormonal changes have exacerbated the symptoms.
Sam had to work at not butting in when doing her counselling training! She had thought it was her just being rude or too keen to get her point across but ‘interrupting’ turned out to be an ADHD trait too.
Sam has a passion for allowing clients to accept themselves for who they are. This is so important for ADHD clients as they tend to beat themselves up for being different or not being good enough. Sam firmly believes ADHD doesn’t have to be a negative. She helps her clients recognise the many positive ADHD traits and harness what’s great about themselves.
Sam also volunteers for Frontline 19 and Isolation Help Bexley and until recently used to volunteer for SANDS and CRUSE the bereavement charities.
Qualifications
- Sands Befriender Training 2010
- NCFE level 2 in Counselling 2011
- NCFE level 3 in Counselling 2012
- Cruse Bereavement Care Training 2013
- Diploma in Integrative Counselling level 4 2015
- Diploma course in Relationship Counselling 2020
- Working Online BACP 2020
- Eating Disorders and Trauma Workshop 2021
- Safeguarding Awareness 2021
- Covid 19 Psychological First Aid training 2021
- Inner Child Workshop 2022
- ADHD Awareness course 2023
- ACCA Qualified 2004
Training provided to others by Sam
- Pre and Post Bereavement in a Cancer Support Group Setting 2021