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New Start Counselling and Psychotherapy
Welcome to the Reflection Room
A Blog space for you
Welcome to New Start Counselling and Psychotherapy's blog, a space for reflection, insight, and real conversations about life.
Here you’ll find articles exploring topics such as identity, relationships, boundaries, grief, resilience, chronic illness, and navigating change. Much of what I write is shaped by the work I do with clients, alongside my own lived experience, because the truth is, we’re often grappling with the same themes in different ways.
This blog isn’t about quick fixes or surface-level positivity. It’s about understanding ourselves more deeply, making sense of our experiences, and finding ways to move forward with honesty and compassion.
Whether you’re here out of curiosity, support, or somewhere in between, I hope you find something that resonates and reminds you that you’re not alone.
You’re welcome to follow along on social media, where I share reflections, updates, and new blog posts as they’re released.
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How therapy can help you transform your life: Therapy benefits and approaches
Starting therapy can feel like stepping into the unknown. It’s normal to feel hesitant or unsure. But remember, seeking help is a brave and empowering choice. If you’re ready to take that step, New Start Counselling and Psychotherapy offers compassionate support tailored to your needs. Their approach honours your story and helps you build a life that feels authentic and in control.
Sam Seymour
May 124 min read
Why women lose themselves in relationships
A lot of women don’t realise they are losing themselves in a relationship until one day they wake up feeling exhausted, disconnected, resentful, or unsure who they even are anymore.
It rarely happens overnight.
It often happens slowly through small compromises, over giving, caretaking, emotional responsibility, and putting everyone else’s needs ahead of their own.
Sam Seymour
May 72 min read
Understanding why we end up in toxic relationships
Then toxic relationships can hook you in hard. I know because I am one of those people.
These types of relationships give you a role you already know how to play.
You see potential, and importantly you see pain in the other person. You believe if you love them enough, understand them enough, stay long enough… things will change.
But here’s the truth most people don’t want to hear:
You are not in a relationship with their potential. You are in a relationship with thei
Sam Seymour
Apr 104 min read
Therapy benefits for women: Effective Counselling approaches for challenges that affect women
When you decide to seek counselling, you’re taking a brave step towards reclaiming your life. Therapy is not about fixing you because you are broken. It’s about helping you find your strength and voice again.
You might be facing challenges such as:
Feeling stuck in a cycle of negative thoughts
Struggling with relationship issues or loneliness
Coping with grief or loss
Managing work-life balance and burnout
Navigating identity and self-worth
Sam Seymour
Apr 84 min read
What Is an Invisible Disability? Living with MS, Hidden Illness, and the Pressure to Prove It
Living with an invisible disability is not just about managing symptoms.
It’s about navigating perception, judgement, identity, and that constant push-pull between strength and vulnerability.
If you’re in it, you’re not alone.
And if you’re reading this and don’t have a hidden disability, remember:
Not everything is as it looks.
Sam Seymour
Apr 84 min read
ADHD in Women: Why It’s Not Just About Focus (And Why Everything Feels So Intense)
ADHD isn’t just about losing your keys (again). It’s starting five things at once and finishing none. It’s crying over a comment that shouldn’t sting, spiralling from rejection that feels like an avalanche, and spending hours masking so people don’t see how hard you’re working just to keep up.
Having been diagnosed with ADHD about 2 years ago, I was both validated and strengthened to understand my life experiences. This diagnosis was a game changer for me.
Sam Seymour
Apr 73 min read
Why People Pleasing is Robbing You of Your Authenticity.
Women’s empowerment therapy encourages women to sidestep the trap of people pleasing and invites them to stand in their own power. Each client goes on their own journey to understand how and why their people-pleasing tendencies developed, to make peace with their past and to re-engage and develop their true self. By going on this journey, not only do my clients notice their well-being increases, but they find they’ve developed the skills to better manage their mental health.
Sam Seymour
Apr 75 min read
Navigating Life's Challenges and Changes: How to cope with change with resilience and strength
Hey there, lovely souls! Life is an incredible journey, isn't it? Full of twists, turns, and unexpected detours. But what happens when those bumps in the road feel more like roadblocks, stopping us dead in our tracks? How do we summon the strength to push through and keep moving forward? As a Mental Health Counsellor specialising in supporting women through life's ups and downs, I've seen firsthand the incredible resilience that lies within each of us. Today, I want to share
Sam Seymour
Apr 72 min read
Grief, Change, and the Emotions We Would Rather Not Feel
Through both my healing and my work as a Counsellor, I developed what I now call the STAR Method, a way of understanding and moving through grief, change and emotions
gently, one step at a time. Patience, love and kindness is needed as you explore any changes including grief and loss.
Sam Seymour
Apr 23 min read
From Rescuer to Teacher: Letting go of a role you never chose
Unpacking the Rescuer identity isn’t about becoming cold or uncaring. It’s about finally including yourself in the care you so freely give to everyone else.
You matter, and your needs matter. You can stop performing for love and start receiving it freely.
How good does that sound?
It took me a lifetime to realise that my motivator was that of the rescuer. A role I took on as a child. It was exhausting and once I started to see it my life changed for the better.
Sam Seymour
Apr 23 min read
One of the signs of an Abusive Relationship is 'Coercive Control'
We hear the term a lot these days, but what is it, what does it look like, and how can we help anyone living it, their families, and anyone who loves them? Coercive control isn’t always visible. There are no bruises to point to, no obvious explosions. Just a slow erosion of self, and often, the people around the victim don’t realise what’s happening until they barely recognise them. This blog is your guide. Whether you are living in a coercive, controlling relationship or lov
Sam Seymour
Apr 25 min read
Chronic Illness, the Rescuing role, Therapy and the Radical notion of putting your needs first
I always say how amazing humans are, we are such a sophisticated machine that cannot be replicated, our minds are incredible, and we are wired for survival. However, this brings messiness.
Sam Seymour
Apr 24 min read
The Reality of a Multiple Sclerosis Diagnosis
Newly diagnosed with Multiple Sclerosis is a very hard journey. One that requires grief, understanding and a lot of grounding. I have been there and come through the storm of uncertainty. This is about my tips for anyone going through a diagnosis of MS and any chronic illness.
Sam Seymour
Apr 14 min read
Gaslighting is a form of abusive behaviour. But what is Gaslighting really? What happens when reality gets rewritten
There’s something deeply unsettling about gaslighting.
It’s not loud. It’s not always obvious and that’s exactly why it’s so powerful.
Gaslighting is an example of abusive behaviours and a form of psychological manipulation where someone causes you to question your own reality. Your thoughts, your feelings, your memory… even your sanity. It is effective and has long term ramifications on our mental health and sense of self.
Sam Seymour
Mar 263 min read
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