about me

PROFESSIONAL EXPERIENCE

Hi! Samantha here, but please call me Sam.

My studies in psychology began in high school, when I was seeking understanding about my own challenging emotional processes. I followed this interest through my undergraduate academics, graduating from DePaul University with a bachelor’s degree in psychology, emphasizing human development.

After college, I entered the field of early childhood education. I taught preschool for 4 years, and shifted into early education office management and parent relations for 3 years while I simultaneously pursued my master’s degree in clinical psychology, emphasizing marriage + family therapy from Pepperdine University.

In my final year of graduate studies (2020), I gained training at a non-profit mental healthcare center for my practicum, where I focused on relationship and self esteem issues, as well as exploration of sexual and gender-related themes. In this time, I treated adults, teens, children, couples, and families, giving me perspective into the role of psychodynamic work as well as family systems/object relations approaches.

Upon earning my master’s degree, I was guided toward (read: “hit the jackpot by making”) a connection with my mentor, Dr. Georgina Smith. Dr. Smith is a renowned trauma-focused therapist with over 20 years of experience in treating clientele with a variety of presenting concerns. In our work together, she supported my training in EMDR and becoming an IFS-informed practitioner. In my 4.5 years practicing under her supervision, I gained expertise in treating those with PTSD, complex trauma, personality “disorders,” and general relational wounds both individually, and within couples.

Dr. Smith’s continued teachings were expanded in harmony with those of the fantastic Malia Vieira, LMFT, as I began providing care as a primary therapist and group facilitator at Revolve Recovery in Marina Del Rey. Revolve Recovery is an intensive, trauma-focused IOP/PHP treatment center, providing support to those with comorbidities related to trauma, substance use, and process addictions. There, I treated adult individuals, couples, and families in particularly high-intensity crises while maintaining my private outpatient practice.

Later into my associateship, I began practicing under the skillful supervision of Remington Rebeil, LMFT, expanding my private practice care to those between ages 6 and 17 years old. In this space, I found myself moved by the opportunity to provide corrective care and trauma processing as children were experiencing many of the wounds I had supported adults in addressing. My focus with children emerged as treating those with anxiety and obsessive-compulsive patterns as well as children who could be characterized as twice-exceptional via an integrative approach combining CBT/ERP + IFS all through the lens of play.

As an independently licensed clinician, I tend toward longterm therapeutic relationships with my clients. My perspective holds that for the presenting concerns I treat, therapy is most effective when healing can take place within the therapeutic relationship. I am not a blank slate, you will learn my personality, and I will model personal/emotional boundaries in an intentional way.