Dr Samantha Torres

Biography

Dr Samantha Angela Torres is a Registered Mental Health Nurse and Psychotherapist specialising in Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT).

Samantha began her mental health nursing career over thirty years ago when she started working for the National Health Service (NHS) in the United Kingdom. Whilst working in the NHS she was one of the first to be awarded a Bachelor of Science with First Class Honours in Mental Health Nursing after successfully securing a secondment placement to study at the University of West London in 2001. Her clinical practice includes different senior roles within inpatient and specialist outpatient services such as working in prison and corporate settings. These roles included supporting and educating nursing students and staff in both clinical and academic settings.

In 2009, Samantha had an opportunity to live and work in Singapore in Southeast Asia and left her NHS long service. Not long after arriving she commenced a Lecturer appointment at Alice Lee Centre for Nursing Studies, Yong Loo Lin School of Medicine, National University of Singapore.

While working in this role, she focused on nursing undergraduate curriculum and contributed at postgraduate level within the faculty across different programmes and subjects including research. Her academic experience included teaching, assessing, year and module coordination as well chairing committees and providing pastoral support.

Samantha returned to the United Kingdom after receiving a fully funded full-time scholarship to undertake a PhD at the University of Hull in Yorkshire. She was awarded a PhD in Health Studies and a Postgraduate Certificate in Research Training. Her thesis is titled: Making sense of it all: an interpretative phenomenological analysis of bereaved survivors’ coping experiences following intimate partner suicide.

In 2020, Samantha returned to clinical practice for the NHS and trained as a CBT Psychotherapist and was awarded with Commendation a Postgraduate Diploma in Cognitive Behavioural Therapy. This led to further contribution to the NHS, providing psychotherapy services in Employee Assistance Programmes and private practice.

Samantha has throughout her mental healthcare career has been actively involved in developing and improving protocols and policies to shape and enhance providing high quality evidenced-based clinical and education health services.

To continue her commitment to excellence, she joined the University of Gibraltar in 2025, to provide contemporary, evidence-based mental health nursing education to improve the mental health and wellbeing of the population of Gibraltar as part of the wider Gibraltar National Mental Health Strategy.

Research Interests

Samantha’s main research interests: reflective practice, communication, mental health, suicide bereavement.

Publications

• Torres, S.A., 2018. Making sense of it all: an interpretative phenomenological analysis of bereaved survivors’ coping experiences following intimate partner suicide. PhD. University of Hull.
• Shah, L.B.I., Torres, S., Kannusamy, P., Mui, L.C., He, H. and Klainin-Yobas, P., 2015. Efficacy of the Virtual-Reality-Based Stress Management Program on Stress-Related Variables in People with Mood Disorders: The Feasibility Study. Archives of Psychiatric Nursing, 29 (1), pp.6-13.
• Shah, L.B.I., Klainin-Yobas, P., Torres, S. and Kannusamy, P., 2014. Efficacy of Psychoeducation and Relaxation Interventions on Stress-Related Variables in People with Mental Disorders: A literature Review. Archives of Psychiatric Nursing, 28 (2), pp.94-101.
• Torres, S., 2007. Preparing Yourself for Your Nursing/Midwifery Career. In: E. Meyler and S. Trenoweth, eds. 2007. Succeeding in Nursing and Midwifery Education. Chichester: John Wiley & Sons Ltd. pp.234-241.

Conferences

• Torres, S., Creedy, D.K. and Jomeen, J., 2016. Coping amongst spouses following their partners’ suicide: A structured review of the literature. The 20th International Nursing Research Conference, 15-18 November, A Coruña, Spain.
• Torres, S., Creedy, D.K. and Jomeen, J., 2015. Spousal Experiences and Coping Following the Suicide of Their Partner: A Review of the Literature. [Poster]. The University of Manchester’s 4th National Suicide Bereavement Conference, 24 September, Manchester, United Kingdom.
• Torres, S., 2013. The Impact of Suicide on the Family in England: A Qualitative Study. Post Graduate Research Forum Session, Department of Health and Social Care, University of Hull, 21 November, Hull, United Kingdom.
• Torres, S., 2013. Are you a good Mentor? Scholarship of Teaching and Learning Forum Session, Alice Centre for Nursing Studies, Yong Loo Yin School of Medicine, National University of Singapore, 25 April, Singapore.
• Torres, S., 2012. The Reflective Practitioner. Today and Tomorrow: A Lifelong Journey. The 9th Asia Pacific Medical Education Conference, 13 January, Singapore.
• Torres, S., 2011. The Use of Reflection to Facilitate Learning. Scholarship of Teaching and Learning Forum Session, Alice Centre for Nursing Studies, Yong Loo Yin School of Medicine, National University of Singapore, 28 April, Singapore.
• Torres, S., 2004. A Student’s Perspective. RCN Practice Education Conference Forum 1^st annual national conference and exhibition, 16 September, London, United Kingdom.