Samuel Irons

I am an experienced psychodynamic psychotherapist offering short-term or open ended therapy to adults grappling with a broad range of personal and emotional challenges. I am a qualified member of the British Association of Counselling and Psychotherapy (BACP), the UK Council for Psychotherapy (UKCP), the British Psychoanalytic Council (BPC). I am also registered with AXA and Aviva.

About Me

My therapeutic approach is based on a belief that people come to therapy seeking a profound yet human response; to have their emotional experience heard and understood. And so it is my first duty to listen; to sensitively attune to what is being communicated and to try to see the world from your perspective. Each person who comes to see me is necessarily unique and complex, and I focus on understanding the whole individual, strengths as well as vulnerabilities. Acknowledging that there are rarely simple solutions to complex problems, and that we are all susceptible to imperfect environments, is the at the heart of a more compassionate self-understanding.

How I can help

I specialise in helping individuals navigate painful issues such as depression, anxiety, relationship issues, the impacts of trauma and the pressures of being neurodivergent. Coming from a background in the arts and literature, I pay particular attention to the narratives and disguises we adopt to shield ourselves from pain. Often, defences formed to cope with difficult experiences in our past can become disruptive in our current lives, damaging our sense of self and harming our relationships. I see my job as helping you to find the emotional tools needed to make sense of what you have been through, so that you can tolerate difficult emotions and learn to proritise your own needs.

Psychodynamic therapy

The label ‘psychodynamic’ can often sound somewhat stern. But fundamentally what it refers to is the idea that our understanding of the world is not fixed, and that it is possible to reframe how we respond to the world. It starts from the understanding that how we feel about ourselves is rooted in our earliest experiences, which continue to powerfully influence our adult lives and often in ways that we are not in control of. By examining the origins of these recurring patterns, psychodynamic therapy offers you the opportunity to disentangle your past from your present, helping you find new self-awareness and increasing your capacity to live a fuller, more rewarding life.

Professional memberships

• British Psychoanalytic Council (BPC), registered member.
• UK Council for Psychotherapy (UKCP), registered member.
• British Association for Counselling and Psychotherapy (BACP), registeredmemberQualifications
• PG(Dip) in Psychodynamic psychotherapy, British Psychotherapy Foundation.
• Foundation course in Psychodynamic psychotherapy, WPF.
• BA in English Literature, Trinity College, Dublin.