Sam Fitzgibbon

Hello, I'm Sam, a registered psychotherapist from New Zealand now living in London.

I believe that finding the right therapist is an important and deeply personal decision. I hope to offer a space where you feel comfortable being yourself, without judgement or expectation. I strive to offer an environment and relationship to help you better understand yourself and find a way forward, or through whatever it is that has led you to seek out therapy.

I work with people from all walks of life, recognising that each person brings their own unique history, experiences and hopes for therapy. Above all, I value genuine human connection, curiosity and the development of a trusting therapeutic relationship.

I am currently only offering online therapy sessions. I will be offering in-person therapy sessions soon.

I hold a Master's degree in Psychotherapy alongside a Graduate Diploma in Psychotherapy Studies.

My professional experience spans community mental health services, prisons, private practice, and specialist sexual trauma services.

I have worked extensively with adults experiencing a wide range of emotional and psychological difficulties, including anxiety, addiction, PTSD, depression, trauma, sexual trauma, relationship challenges, and difficulties with self-esteem and identity.

I am registered with the British Association for Counselling & Psychotherapy (BACP).

I work with a broad range of emotional and psychological difficulties, with particular experience in:

- Trauma and childhood experiences: Supporting people to understand and work through the lasting effects of difficult, painful or overwhelming experiences, including childhood abuse, neglect and complex developmental trauma.

- PTSD and complex trauma: Working with individuals experiencing the ongoing effects of traumatic experiences, including hypervigilance, intrusive memories, emotional dysregulation, dissociation and difficulties feeling safe or connected to others. My approach is trauma-informed, recognising the importance of safety, trust and working at a pace that feels manageable.

- Sexual trauma and abuse: I have extensive experience supporting survivors of sexual abuse and sexual violence, including those who experienced abuse in childhood. I offer a sensitive, non-judgemental space to explore the complex effects of these experiences, including shame, difficulties with trust and intimacy, identity, and relationships.

- Addictions and addictive behaviours: I have worked with individuals experiencing a wide range of difficulties relating to addiction, including alcohol and substance use, gambling and pornography. My approach involves looking beyond the behaviour itself to understand the emotional, relational and psychological experiences that may contribute to it, including the ways addiction can become a means of coping with distress, trauma or difficult feelings.

- Anxiety and depression: Exploring feelings of worry, sadness, emptiness, overwhelm or being stuck, and developing a deeper understanding of what may be contributing to these experiences.

- Relationships and attachment: Understanding recurring relationship patterns, difficulties with intimacy, trust, vulnerability and connection.

- Self-esteem, shame and identity: Working with self-criticism, feelings of inadequacy, perfectionism and questions about who we are and how we relate to others.

- Men's mental health: Providing a space to explore the particular challenges men may encounter around emotional expression, vulnerability, relationships and expectations of masculinity.

- Grief, loss and life transitions: Supporting people through bereavement, significant changes, uncertainty and periods of personal transition.

While these are areas in which I have particular experience, I welcome people presenting with a wide variety of concerns. You don't need to have a clear understanding of what is troubling you before beginning therapy.

I am an integrative psychotherapist, meaning I draw upon different therapeutic approaches to meet the unique needs of each individual, rather than believing that one particular way of working is right for everyone. My primary training and therapeutic foundations are in psychodynamic and person-centred psychotherapy, which place an emphasis on understanding ourselves more deeply, exploring the influence of our past experiences, and recognising the importance of a genuine, trusting therapeutic relationship. In practice, this means I tailor the way we work together to your individual needs, experiences and what you hope to gain from therapy.

I believe that many of the difficulties we experience in the present can be connected to our earlier relationships, experiences and ways of understanding ourselves. Therapy offers an opportunity to explore these connections with curiosity and compassion, helping us recognise patterns that may no longer be serving us.

At the heart of my work is the therapeutic relationship itself. I aim to create a space where you feel genuinely heard, understood and accepted, and where we can explore both the difficult and meaningful aspects of your life together.

My style is warm, engaged and collaborative. I don't believe therapy should feel like someone simply sitting silently across from you, nor do I believe in offering one-size-fits-all solutions. Depending on what feels helpful, our work may involve reflection, gentle challenge, exploring past experiences, or thinking together about the difficulties you're navigating in the present.

While developing insight and understanding is an important part of therapy, I also recognise the value of practical, meaningful change in everyday life. Where helpful, our work can be more focused and action-oriented, exploring ways to navigate immediate challenges, develop new ways of responding to difficult situations, and put what we discover in therapy into practice. I believe that understanding ourselves and making tangible changes in our lives can go hand in hand.

Ultimately, my hope is that therapy becomes a space where you can develop a deeper understanding of yourself, experience greater freedom in how you relate to yourself and others, and move towards a more fulfilling and meaningful life.