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My therapy office is at suite 3.07 Ingram Enterprise Centre, John Finnie St, Kilmarnock. The street is on a bus route and there is on street, paid parking and also a car park around the corner. There's lift and stairs access to my office, and a staffed and friendly, but quiet, reception. 

My clients find my office a calming and safe space, and I offer a mix of daytime and evening appointments. 

I also see clients who live further afield over Zoom.

Please don't hesitate to get in touch, and please also see my website for information on trauma informed therapy and what to look for in a trauma-informed therapist; as well as trauma-sensitive mindfulness, communication and emotion regulation exercises, and client feedback.

Welcome to Samantha McEwan Psychotherapy - Kilmarnock and online.

Hi, and welcome, I'm Samantha, a warm and approacable trauma-informed psychotherapist, with practice clinically grounded in 25 years as a mental health nurse, educator and improver in the NHS.

I have extensive experience supporting people with mental ill health, complex life events or backgrounds, and spent years educating and improving mental health staff therapeutic, trauma-informed practice across Scotland to improve patient safety and care, and reduce harm, re-traumatisation and suicide.

Many of the people who come to me for therapy have put a lot of pressure on themselves over the years to get things right whether personally or at work, care deeply about their impact on others, or hold themselves to high standards that they rarely feel they meet.

Sometimes, though, that same care and understanding doesn't always extend to themselves, and difficulties such as anxiety, self-doubt or criticism, or the impact of past experiences can quietly build up over time until it interferes with daily life or decisions, leads to repeating patterns, or affects how they think or feel about themselves. I specialise in helping my clients deal with:

• Generalised anxiety, overwhelm, worry, intrusive thoughts, images or memories, and overthinking
• Self-doubt or self-criticism, feeling not good enough
• Depression and low mood
• Complex PTSD and impact of childhood relational trauma including sexual, psychological or physical abuse, neglect and unstable caregiving
• Traumatic experiences and PTSD in adulthood
• Relationship and communication difficulties
• Loss of personal identity, purpose and confidence
• Career issues, burnout or bullying at work

How I work with my clients

I offer a warm, active, direct and collaborative approach, using evidence-based CBT and trauma processing therapies and wider related therapies that foster reconnection with personal and emotional wellbeing - always tailored to individual needs.

I work with my clients at their own pace to understand and address the root causes of their difficultes and any repeating patterns - not just the surface symptoms.

I find that people's earlier life experiences are often important to their current lives. My clinical background means I naturally consider these, and the relationships, familial contexts, education or work dynamics, personal rules and standards that can affect beliefs about self, interactions, and mental and physical wellbeing over the years.

With my clinical background I also often work with complex issues- there is little I've not heard over the years, which has made me passionate about helping people feel heard, believed and empowered.

My clinical background, registrations and qualifications

As a mental health nurse I worked in communities supporting people with trauma, depression and anxiety.

I lectured in mental health nursing, worked to improve care in inpatient mental health services as part of leading national patient safety activity, publishing work on this; and then to support development of mental health and suicide prevention education, now used across health & social care in Scotland-with some resources online for the public called 'Ask, Tell, Save a Life'.

Registrations & Insurance:

Nursing and Midwifery Council (NMC), ±«ÓãÊÓƵand COSCA, and ICO; Clear PVG; insured (Balens)  

Some Qualifications:

• MSc Mental Health Nursing Advanced Practice & Leadership
• MSc Level Pg Dip in CBT
• Dip & BSc Mental Health Nursing
• Cert Human Relations and Counselling (Psychodynamic)
• Trauma Informed Recovery & Post-Traumatic Growth Coaching 

Some CPD 

• Further trauma training -EMDR upcoming Sep 2026. 
• Adapting CBT - neurodivergence
• Cert in Couples Therapy

What a first therapy session with me looks like

In a first session, I ask a little about what's been happening for you, along with any recent or past experiences that feel relevant, and any changes you've noticed in yourself. You can share as much or as little as you're comfortable with, there's no pressure -my priority is helping you feel at ease as we get to know each other.

From there, we set goals together for what you'd like to be different or better, and build a treatment plan and a rough number of sessions. I keep sessions purposeful and check in regularly on how you are finding therapy, to ensure that it doesn't drift without direction.

Some of my clients are in therapy for around 3-4 months, some for upwards of 10 months. Everyone's needs and reasons for therapy are different. My clients usually attend either fortnightly or weekly, or a mix of both, depending on their own schedules and what has brought them to therapy, and frequency is often reduced /spaced out towards the end of therapy. I offer follow up afterwards for a few clients who like to check in every so often to keep on top of things. 

Starting therapy

It can sometimes feel daunting to reach out for therapy, especially when you feel 'stuck' or not sure where to start, but once the first step is taken it can feel like a relief, and even empowering.

Getting the right clinical fit is important. I offer a free, no-obligation consultation call to talk about how you're feeling at the moment, what you'd like to get out of therapy, and check we're a good fit. 

It is always a real privilege to be alongside each of my clients on their journey. Previous clients have fed back on how they have benefited from my warm, direct and professional approach, whilst quickly getting to the root of issues and enabling positive progress and change. 

Please see my website for information on trauma informed therapy and what to look for in a trauma-informed therapist; and trauma-sensitive mindfulness and emotion regulation exercises