About Me
Hi! I'm Samantha!
I hold a masters degree in Counselor Education from Portland State University and a bachelors degree in Elementary Education from Knox College. I came to the counseling field from a long career in education. In my time working with students of all ages, and their families, I learned that promoting emotional health and well-being was a true passion of mine... So, here we are.
I am passionate about new beginnings and times of transition in our lives. The first day at a new school or job brings about joy but can also reveal feelings of anxiety, depression, and lack of self-confidence. Any life-changing event can cause us to experience negative emotions and it can feel hard to move forward. I work with adolescents, young adults, and adults to create a safe space to develop coping skills, identify personal goals for therapy, and continue down a path of self-discovery to your best self.
As a counselor, I strive to honor my clients in their process and work with them to discover and achieve their personal goals. I believe that the client/counselor relationship is rooted in trust and plays a fundamental role in productive therapy. I believe in empathy, unconditional positive regard, and allowing for a space of validation and compassion are key components to the healing process. While my approach includes a variety of psychological influences I am primarily a Humanistic, person-centered therapist. This means that I have great respect for the autonomy of my clients and their ability to discern their own path, solutions, and direction in life. My role is to assist in uncovering those answers and support healing and development with unconditional positive regard.
I am licensed in both Connecticut and Oregon. Having just moved back to Connecticut I am having fun rediscovering my home state, spending time with my dogs in the yard, and playing board games with my husband.