Testimonials

Samantha was my therapist for a number of years as we went on the long journey together to unravel my past and build a future where I saw myself in a positive light, with the inner strength to cope with challenges as they might arise.

Slowly and surely she helped me recover, at my pace, with the support I needed. My life has changed in ways I could never have imagined at the outset. Samantha has been instrumental in that outcome.

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After a period of five years my sessions with Sam have come to an end.  Her support, guidance and insight have been invaluable throughout the time spent working together, during which she has helped me to grow and begin to form different patterns in my life.  I will truly miss her warmth, kindness, humour and light.

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I’ve seen many practitioners over the years, but it was Samantha who completely and totally changed my life for the better. The sessions were so flexible in terms of what we did, and she responded perfectly to whatever I needed. The mix of approaches and techniques she used with me really allowed me to identify and work through my issues. Her methods are creative and get you thinking about things in a completely different way. I am so thankful to her and would recommend her to absolutely anyone!

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I found Samantha’s approach to counselling to be very pragmatic, down to earth, grounded and based on common sense. The realism was combined with a very compassionate approach and strong ethics. I would definitely recommend her.


I am very glad to have made the space and time in my busy life to address the difficultis of coming to terms with trauma and loss; and I am even more grateful to have found Samantha who is everything one could wish for in a therapist: she is professionsl and compassionate, enabling and patient, authentic and kind. Thank you for everything!


Several significant bereavements and a devastating family disclosure resulted in me loosing my confidence and self worth. My sessions with Samantha really helped me to work though my losses, understand myself and acknowlege my own feelings rather than constantly worrying about others . Samantha is an open, caring and lovely human being who has a wonderful ability to listen and provide compassionate understanding and perspective. She helped me rebuild my confidence, learn how not to be self judging and gain knowledge about myself allowing me to move forward and be happy. N.F – West Bridgford.


Dear Samantha,

One of the downsides of your job seems to me that, if you have done good work, you won’t see your client again. So I suppose you’ll interpret silence as success. I would like to break the silence to let you know how much the talks/sessions we had during the last months of last year, have done me good and helped me to steer back to balance. I know it’s your job, but I want you to know I am very grateful for your imput.


Hi Sam

Having had 3 upsetting “life events” within 18 months, you really helped me with my loss and guided me towards making sense of my relationship break up.
I believe I now understand how 2 people need to behave, towards each other, to build a successful relationship.

As we joked, hopefully I will never see you again!!!

Thanks Sam

RH West Bridgford


I am so glad I found Samantha. Her patience, insight, and experience gave me the platform that I needed to become more confident to explore issues and to realise that I am very much in charge of my life.

I was given the freedom to choose how we would work at the sessions after we had discussed potential techniques and their outcomes.

When I arrived at counselling I could hardly get out of bed, I did not value myself or my achievements, and I was content to follow others rather than challenge or taking my own path. After our sessions, I feel better equipped to deal with life, optimistic about what I can achieve, and am much more confident and comfortable with myself.

I know I did the work, but I also know that my development wouldn’t have happened without Samantha’s support and giving me that space to breathe, to sit with her and work out how I feel about things.

Thank you so much.


Admitting we had big problems in our relationship, and starting couples counselling was a huge step both for us, but Samantha helped us through an extremely emotional and difficult time in a sensitive, insightful and even-handed way. In a safe environment she helped us face up to our difficulties, challenging us to find better ways to communicate, and to change damaging habits which had been in place for over thirty years. Delving into the past, she helped us understand our behaviours and to recognise certain behaviours which were harming the relationship. Through a series of exercises and articles, (which we still are still using, several months later), we have found a more inclusive style of communication. We are still learning, but Samanthae has given us a platform to move forward into the future together, given the major changes in our lives. Thank you.


Having been reticent about seeing a counsellor at first, I am very pleased that I did and indeed that I chose to talk to Samantha. She was professional, non-judgmental, and extremely helpful, on a practical level particularly when a problem cropped up at work during the time I was seeing her, which enabled me to cope with the situation far better than I would have done otherwise, and has given me confidence about how to address matters in the future should similar issues arise. She also recommended reading material which has been really interesting and has allowed me to have even further insight into some of the problems I have experienced in my past. I would wholeheartedly recommend Samantha (and her peppermint tea!)


I’ve been wanting to write to you for a long time to say thank you for the help you gave me over the 8 months that I saw you. I’m sorry that it has taken so long. However, the good thing about writing to you now, almost 12 months after our last session together, is that I’m able to tell you how long-lasting your counsel has been and how much happier I am now with my life.

And I really do now feel ‘complete’. I’m so grateful for all that I have and my wonderful, special family and loving and supportive husband. And I have continued to like myself too (I still have the photo on my phone of the picture thing I did with you before I left)

So I want to say the biggest ‘Thank You’ possible to you, Samantha. You helped me to realise that I’m okay as I am and helped me to like myself. This is something that I’d never really felt before (always thinking that “when I xxx (fill in the blank) then I’ll be happy” was both futile and exhausting. And everything in my life has gotten better with this feeling: my friendships, my work, my marriage, my family life. And that I still feel like this 12 months after our last meeting is proof that talking with you really worked for me in a way that nothing else could ever come close to. With love, thanks and best wishes


Thank you so much Samantha. I could not have made it without you!! With much love


I just wanted to say thank you so much for all your help. You have helped me come to terms with some horrific events in my life and helped me to see that i was not to blame.

Although i only saw you for a short period of time, you have made such difference to my life. I am no longer walking under a grey cloud every day but i am starting to see the blue sky again. With your help i have learnt to let go of the past and move forward with my life.

You gave me exactly what i needed at a time when even i wasn’t even sure what i needed. You gave me a safe environment to talk about my past without fear of being judged and you gave me the chance to explore the reasons why. You were never judgemental but you talked me through it and you always knew exactly what to say.

I’m glad i plucked up the courage to contact you. You have changed my life for the better. I will never forget you or what you’ve done for me. Thank you so much, with all my heart.


It took me a long time to work up the courage to seek counselling. Starting sessions with Samantha made me wish I had done it sooner.

Samantha Hillyer was wholly professional, insightful and made me feel that my problems, however big or small, were welcome to be discussed in a relaxed and safe environment.
My time with Samantha has helped me feel more confident, happier and better equipped to face life with a smile.


Thank you for your help. Life can be so complex and with your support I’ve been able to discover when, who and what is best for me.
Warm regards.


Hi Samantha,

I just wanted to say that you have been really great in helping me to discover who I am and what I want from life. I was struggling with this before I came to see you, and also with the idea that I needed to put pressure on myself to constantly achieve when in actual fact it isn’t necessary for me to be happy. You are really welcoming and kind with clients, and so easy to talk to. You always manage to put things into perspective and use your own experience of life to help your clients. Thank you for all of the sessions we spent together!

Thanks again!


Just to say thank you for the support and guidance you have given me over the last six months. You have been sensitive, encouraging and accepting. You have helped me to reflect on, as well as move onwards from an exceptionally difficult episode in my life.

Our sessions together have been an extremely positive experience for me and I am very grateful for that. Warm regards


You turned my life around. You gave me the confidence to do what I wanted to do and I’ll never forget what you did for me.


Thank you for being a listening ear and always knowing what to say. I am truly grateful for all your kind words and support at this crucial stage of my life.

Thank you. I will never forget you.