About me

with Samantha James

My journey

 I am a 46 year old mum of four wonderful children, living with my incredible family in North Devon, enjoying an outdoor sporty life in the most beautiful countryside and glorious beaches. From college I went into health and social care and worked, trained and qualified in a variety of secondments, including roles in therapeutic mental health, women’s safe houses, street homeless outreach, young persons complex needs and finally four years writing and teaching life skills and health and wellbeing courses at The Amber Foundation, with a good record of successful moves ons to independence, work and education and positive health outcomes. 

After moving to North Devon we opened a successful coffee shop selling wholesome food, juices, tea and coffee near the sea. I quickly knew this wasn’t for me as I missed working with people on a deeper level. I completed two intensive ITEC diplomas with Devon Academy in Body Massage and Sports Massage and spent 11 years working in clinics, teaching for massage schools and building my own practice whilst continuing to train in many more diplomas in complementary and clinical sports and exercise rehab diplomas. 

Continuing my journey…… my wonderful family supported me to do my Sports and Clinical Rehabilitation Therapy and then I undertook a Sports Science degree, but quickly found I had no interest in working with athletes and found it difficult to blend what I was researching and practising with my bodywork clinical practice at home, so I switched to the BSc Health and Wellbeing Practitioner Degree at the end of my first year.

It was a very tough journey for myself, my husband and four children and I am eternally grateful for their kindness and support throughout. Over three years my areas of study included; anatomy, physiology, pathologies, medications and rehab for chronic health issues, exercise prescription for chronic health and pain conditions, current public health education, nutrition across the lifespan, community psychology and behaviour change, advanced lifestyle practitioner/ coach for chronic health, comorbidities, inflammatory diseases and Personal Training for the general public. My placements were prehab and rehab for Cancer patients, active choices for over 55’s with health conditions and social prescribing. 

My dissertation project researched the question “What are the experiences of person-centred support for people living with long-term health conditions including those who are underrepresented in society?”

 I have a passion for person centeredness – empowering people to use their own innate wisdom, to support self-autonomy, build confidence, self-belief and strength, physically, mentally and emotionally to self-manage health conditions effectively. I believe in promoting independence and empowering people with support. I encourage and believe in equal partnership working to overcome any barriers negatively impacting an individual’s quality of life.

Partnership working between client and professional was identified as a top significant factor for successful self-management of conditions (Rogers, 1995: Taylor et al., 2018: Grover et al., 2021: Clark et al., 2018). My research project confirmed power, balance and self-autonomy as key ingredients, along with feeling listened to and sincere kindness and compassion (humanistic). Goal attainment had the most successful outcomes when behaviour change theories were applied to work through inner conflicts to find intrinsic motivations, self-compassion and self-belief to achieve incremental goals (Sarfo et al., 2023: Ntoumanis, 2021:Deci & Ryan, 2012: Powers et al., 2015:).

 University was a period of huge personal growth, I had to overcome many barriers and old beliefs. I was diagnosed and supported with dyslexia and dyscalculia. I experienced high stress and a lack of sleep (ironically studying Health and Wellbeing) which brought on old chronic pain alongside a difficult perimenopause stage. i started writing essays and doing deep research into perimenopause and menopause and navigated a difficult 5 years, hysterectomy and inability to get the right HRT fit for myself.

 I received a BSc 1st class honours degree and went on to do a comprehensive certification in Pilates, reformer, stability chair and barrel equipment for private and semi-private coaching. My husband and I have built a fabulous space to facilitate coaching and PT as well as revamping the bodywork studio. I have been prescribing exercises for six years with great success for clients and spent a lifetime advocating and supporting individuals to exercise, eating well for positive mood & health, and I have tested and researched many health behaviours / trends to support positive mental and emotional health. 

 Fast forward to 2025, I am now offering menopause, chronic health and injury packages and sessions incorporating tools from my 14 years of learning manual therapy, exercise rehabilitation, nutrition and behaviour change to support wellbeing for chronic health conditions, menopause and injury / pain.

 I would describe myself as a very down to earth, outdoorsy, active person who enjoys the simple things in life. I am kind and compassionate, positive and motivational. I live and breathe anatomy, physiology, exercise, health and wellbeing, I still get knocked off balance and I am far from perfect, but I am consistent with holistic health. 

Qualifications:

BSc Health and Wellbeing Practitioner

L5 Sports / Clinical Therapist and Injury Rehabilitation

Exercise Prescription Therapist for Chronic Health Conditions

Personal Trainer

Pilates Teacher

Nutrition For life

Behaviour Change Therapist

Lifestyle Practitioner

Bowen Therapist

Western Acupuncture And Dry Needling

Manual Therapist - Injury Assessment, Strapping And Taping, Electrical Muscle Stimulation, Ultrasound, Mobilisations

Complementary Therapies - Reflexology, Aromatherapy, Indian Head, Pregnancy, Hot stones

Lymphatic Bodywork, Drainage, And Tutor for CPD’s

Vagus Nerve Bodywork

Currently Working With My Mentor (John Downey PHD behaviour change) for Behaviour Change coaching, Positive Psychology And Chronic Health Exercise Rehabilitation

Partnering With The Body Rewired To Deliver CPD Courses in Red Light Therapy, Lymphatic Bodywork And The Menopause Reset

This Year I am looking to do Stress Management Training With Stress Edd, CPD’s in Positive Psychology, Menopause Care and TCM Acupuncture.

  • Review

    Sam was highly recommended to me by a friend, I now regularly visit her for a range of therapies. It seems there nothing she cannot do and nothing she does not know She has a completely wholistic approach to her treatments and clients, offering solid advice and guidance and where applicable prepares aftercare and exercise program(s) to follow, post treatment.

    There is never any pressure to re-book (but equally, there is never any doubt in my mind that I will).

    I cannot speak highly enough about each experience. From start to finish, Sam creates a warm and inviting atmosphere that immediately puts me at ease. I walk away from each treatment noticeably better and when she is not treating me for an injury specific reason, she provides what I call an MOT, focussing on areas where attention is most needed whilst not neglecting the rest.

    Sam’s expertise, professionalism, and genuine care for her clients make her stand out among the rest. I encourage others to meet with Sam to tackle any reoccurring niggles, treat injury or general self care, you will not regret it.

    Faye McHugh

“I have been having Sam’s treatments for years for various sport and work-related injuries…she always gets good results.”

- Ben Byrom

“Coming from Thailand I found it hard to get effective massages in the UK but Sam has great hands and knows the body well”.

- Thongsay Stevenson