Dr Sam Davies

Hi! I’m Sam and I’m a Clinical Psychologist.

My interest in psychology developed during my late teens. A difficult transition between adolescence and adulthood, accompanied by experiences of low self-esteem and anxiety, led to me finding and engaging with therapy. My therapist met me with compassion, normalising and validating my experiences, whilst holding hope and offering alternative ideas and perspectives.

I have always enjoyed working with young people, whether as a support worker, Assistant Psychologist, or a Clinical Psychologist. My experiences of working in various mental health services in and around London have shaped my ability to work with and understand the cultural, social, and generational nuances involved when supporting people attempting to instigate some form of psychological change.

I trained to be a clinical psychologist at the Salomons Institute for Applied Psychology. After I completed my training I have worked in several child and adolescent mental health services (CAMHS), including my current role in a specialist neurodevelopmental CAMHS.

I have experience of delivering a range of psychological therapies, including models such as CBT, DBT, ACT, and CFT. I’m particularly interested in systemic psychotherapy and attempting to understand difficulties through a relational lens.

The therapeutic relationship is the cornerstone of any change-based therapy. If rapport and trust can be established early on it facilitates the more challenging aspects of therapy that can come later in the process. I strive to co-develop compassionate, kind, and curious therapy environments by taking my time to get to know you, your interests, and finding common ground.

Talking can sometimes be difficult, I like to break the ice by playing games or finding alternative ways of building rapport. During the first few sessions we may use our creative skills to map out a shared understanding of the problem prior to developing a treatment plan.

Throughout my clinical psychology training I gained experience working in a range of mental health settings, supporting individuals and families with different needs and presentations. Since qualifying I have worked with young people to treat symptoms of OCD, panic disorder, social anxiety, low mood, low self-esteem, and difficulties associated with emotional regulation.

I have trained in and have experience of delivering multiple models of therapy. I prefer to work in an integrative way that allows me to prioritise and centre the individual needs of the young person.

I often utilise elements of third wave Cognitive Behavioural therapies e.g., Compassion Focused Therapy and Dialectical Behavioural Therapy. I consider Cognitive Behavioural Therapy and Systemic Family Therapy as the primary influences on my practice.

I really like the idea of keeping fit, sadly I rarely move beyond the contemplation stage. That being said, I enjoy playing squash, rolling around in pilates classes, and doing my Couch to 5k.

I love to read and occasionally have aspirations of writing my own novel. My favourite novel is the Count of Monte Cristo, an epic tale about justice, love, and being a pirate and finding lots of gold coins.

If I wasn’t a Psychologist I’d likely be a history teacher/London tour guide/third member of the Rest is History podcast. I love exploring London and uncovering its ancient and not so ancient secrets.