A supportive journey towards growth and change
Neurodivergent - affirming practice
Ms Samantha Doyle Bsc (Hons) she/her
Bryn
Ashton-in-Makerfield
Wigan
WN4
T: 07521212739
E: Head2toewigan@gmail.com

SPECIALITIES
In this section, I have listed the areas of counselling that I have particular interest and skills in, that I have acquired from research, my own personal experience and working with clients. However, i am not limited to these.
RELATIONSHIPS

A lot of people are struggling to find and hold relationships these days. Times have changed with online dating becoming the main way to find love. But why does it seem to work for some, but not everyone? Why do some attract emotionally unavailable people? Why has dating become so difficult? Why do people stay in toxic relationships? Confidence and self-esteem play a vital role when it comes to love and our childhood relationships have a massive impact on our adult relationships. If you are struggling to find love or are having trouble with current relationships, there may be an underlying reason that is out of your awareness. Together, in a safe environment, we can explore in depth your values and beliefs and identify your real blocks to love.
ANXIETY

Anxiety can be very debilitating, spiralling into negative thoughts, creating disturbing scenarios in your head, catastrophising, feeling fearful but unsure why. It can feel like you are battling with yourself, like you are crazy, because no one else seems to act or feel the same way as you. It can also manifest into physical symptoms such as tight chest, hot flushes, palpitations, nausea, muscle/joint pain, headaches and loss of appetite. This experience can be unbearable and lead to you feeling isolated, like you are battling this alone, but anxiety doesn't need to be your enemy, You don't have to continue fighting it alone, together we can fact it. In sessions, I can help you to explore your anxiety, make sense of your inner world, challenge current thought processes and help you to break free from these debilitating, life limiting patterns.
PARENTING ISSUES

Being a parent myself, having to navigate divorce and raise my 2 children on my own, I am very aware that its not easy being a parent and it was always a worry if I was doing it right. Having gone on a journey of self-discovery myself and learned what it is a child needs to be secure in themselves, I now feel confident in my abilities as a mother and in fact, I now realise, we don't need to be perfect, just good enough. Maybe you are nervous about becoming a parent or you feel you have your own issues that are impacting your relationship with your child or your child may be experiencing mental health issues themselves and you feel overwhelmed or you just don't seem to be able to connect with your child. Whatever the problem, we can work together to unpack this in a confidential and none judgemental space, where you will be heard and validated in your experience. Please feel free to contact me if any of this resonated with you today.
IDENTITY DISTRESS

Distress related to identity can occur following a trauma or begin after a major life change, for example, starting high school and trying to figure out who you are and where you belong. This can lead to a state of identity confusion where you persistently question who you are including your sexuality, gender, personality, life purpose, core beliefs. This can result in symptoms such as low-self esteem, feeling lost, emotionally scattered, anxiety and depression, feeling insecure. Working with me, I will create a safe and non-judgemental space for you to explore your thoughts, feelings, and experiences related to your identity, which can help you to delve deeper into understanding your values, beliefs, aspirations, and any challenges or conflicts you may be facing.
Trauma

The word 'trauma' has become the most overused word on social media lately and unfortunately it has become a simple word thrown around lightly, when in fact, trauma is a severe issue that should be taken seriously. Everyone experiences trauma differently, and its effects can be deeply distressing and can affect an individuals mental and emotional wellbeing. Almost everyone will experience or witness some type of trauma in their lifetime, such as a bad accident, physical abuse, sexual abuse or witnessing violence. All types of trauma can have lasting effects and while many people will recover from such events, others may struggle for months or years. Working with me, I will create a confidential and accepting environment, where you can safely explore and process your emotions and experiences, through learning to listen to yourself, becoming more self-accepting and finding new directions.
Disordered Eating

Disordered eating exists on a spectrum, but it can mimic serious eating disorders, such as Anorexia or Bulimia. People with eating disorders have chronic disordered eating, but not everyone who suffers with disordered eating would be diagnosed as having an eating disorder. Disordered eating can occur intermittently depending on the individuals emotional state and others may engage in disordered eating to lose weight. Disordered eating has the potential to turn into an eating disorder if not dealt with. Signs of disordered eating include avoiding certain food groups, obsessive calorie counting, compulsive exercise, abusing laxatives, self-induced vomiting or binge eating. Causes include stress, dieting, peer pressure or mental health issues. Disordered eating has become a worldwide problem that affects people of all ages and in modern society, many parts of disordered eating have become socially acceptable, making the issue much more complex. Working with me in a safe and trusting environment, we can explore together your deeply held patterns of thought and behaviour, which can help identify, challenge, rationalise and break these patterns, moving forward to make better choices.