Jacqueline

Ms Jacqueline Samuel, BA

Psychoanalytic Psychotherapist

“I work with individuals who often present as high-functioning and self-aware, yet feel persistently stuck in patterns related to anxiety, depression, low self-worth, and relationship challenges.”

About Me

I'm Jacqueline Samuel, a UKCP-registered attachment-based psychotherapist with over two decades of clinical experience. I work with adults who feel stuck, often high-functioning and self-aware, but caught in patterns they can't seem to shift alone. Most of the difficulties that bring people to therapy have roots that go back further than the problem itself. Anxiety, relationship difficulties, depression, and low self-worth rarely arrive out of nowhere. They usually have a logic: learned responses, relational templates, ways of protecting ourselves that made sense once, and that are now getting in the way.

Approach

My work is grounded in attachment theory, the study of how our earliest experiences of being loved and cared for shape the way we see ourselves, connect with others, and manage difficult emotions throughout life. In therapy, we explore those roots with curiosity rather than judgment. Not to pathologise, but to understand, and to find what becomes possible when we do. I draw on attachment-based psychoanalytic psychotherapy as my primary approach, integrated with CBT, Ericksonian hypnotherapy, and relational therapy, depending on what is most useful for you. The work is collaborative, at your pace, and shaped around your specific situation. I have particular experience working with people navigating faith transitions and the experience of leaving religious communities (I've spoken on BBC Radio on this topic), questions of sexuality and identity, and the experience of being high-functioning on the outside while quietly struggling on the inside. I've also worked extensively with addiction, having worked in the United States as an addictions counsellor supporting teenagers and adults. I have published in the Attachment journal and contributed a chapter to a forthcoming book on attachment and trauma.
Contact Jacqueline

Ask a quick question or arrange a time to meet.

Basic Information

In-person & Online

Services

Sessions are 50 minutes, held weekly. I offer a free 15-minute introductory video call before any commitment, a chance for us to meet, for you to ask any questions, and to get a sense of whether working together feels right. There is no obligation after that call. My fee is £150 per session. I hold a small number of reduced-fee spaces for those on lower incomes. Please ask if this would be relevant. I work online across the UK and in person at my practice in Hertfordshire. I'd be glad to hear from you.

Services Offered:

  • Counseling

    A form of talk therapy providing a safe, confidential space to explore feelings, thoughts, and behaviours with a trained professional.

    Learn more about Counseling
  • Psychotherapy

    In-depth therapeutic work that explores patterns in thoughts, emotions, and relationships to produce lasting psychological change.

    Learn more about Psychotherapy

Works With:

  • Adults
  • Elderly

Area of Expertise

Scope of Practice:

  • Relationship Issues

    Difficulties in romantic relationships, including communication problems, trust breakdowns, conflict patterns, or uncertainty about the relationship's future.

    Learn more about Relationship Issues
  • Life Transitions

    Major life changes, such as relocation, retirement, parenthood, or career shifts, that disrupt routine and require psychological adjustment.

    Learn more about Life Transitions
  • Behaviour or Conduct Issues

    Persistent patterns of defiant, aggressive, or rule-breaking behaviour in children or adolescents that significantly disrupt home, school, or social life.

  • Grief & Loss

    The emotional, physical, and psychological response to the death of a loved one or another significant loss.

    Learn more about Grief & Loss
  • Chronic Illness

    A long-term health condition (e.g., diabetes, autoimmune disease, chronic pain) that persists over time and affects physical, emotional, and social well-being.

    Learn more about Chronic Illness
  • Cross-Cultural

    The psychological challenges of living between two or more cultures, including identity conflicts, acculturation stress, and difficulties with belonging.

  • Mood Disorder

    A category of mental health conditions, including depression and bipolar disorder, in which a person's emotional state is significantly and persistently disrupted.

    Learn more about Mood Disorder
  • Codependency

    A relational pattern in which a person's sense of identity and self-worth becomes excessively tied to caring for or controlling another person, often at their own expense.

  • Spiritual or Faith-Based Counseling

    Counselling that integrates spiritual or religious beliefs into the therapeutic process for people who want faith to be part of their healing.

Professional Title:

  • Psychoanalytic Psychotherapist

    A psychotherapist who integrates psychoanalytic understanding into therapy, exploring unconscious dynamics and relational patterns.

Credentials

Qualifications

Bachelor of Arts (BA)

Touro College

Memberships

British Association for Counselling and Psychotherapy (BACP)

Membership: 85398

UK Council for Psychotherapy (UKCP)

Service Areas

Hertfordshire

In-person & Online

Borehamwood, England

United Kingdom

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Borehamwood, United Kingdom