Samantha Read

I'm Sam — a telehealth therapist licensed in North Carolina, and someone who genuinely believes that therapy works best when it doesn't feel like a performance. You don't have to come in with your emotions sorted out or your words perfectly chosen. I've worked at the VA with veterans and service members, I understand military life from the inside (my fiancé is active duty), and I have specialized training in ERP for OCD and Gottman Method therapy for couples. I work with teens (14+), adults, and couples across a wide range of experiences — from anxiety and ADHD to grief, relationship strain, and the particular kind of burnout that comes from giving everything and losing yourself somewhere in the process. I'm in-network with most major insurance plans, including BCBS, Aetna, Cigna, and United — and I offer evening availability so work schedules aren't a barrier.

At the center of everything I do is the relationship between us. I'm not here to analyze you from behind a clipboard — I'm here to actually be present with you. My approach is person-centered first, which means I follow your lead and adapt to what you need. From there, I draw on ACT, DBT, CBT, ERP, narrative therapy, and brief solution-focused work depending on what fits the moment. For couples, I use Gottman Method techniques, which are evidence-based and practical — less about "feeling heard" in theory, more about building patterns that actually change how you communicate under pressure. For OCD, I use ERP (Exposure and Response Prevention), which is the gold-standard treatment and genuinely works when done well. Therapy isn't one-size-fits-all, and I won't treat you like it is.

Expect a conversation, not an intake form read back to you. I'll want to hear what's going on in your words, at your pace. We'll talk about what's bringing you to therapy right now, what's felt hard lately, and what you'd want to feel different six months from now. By the end of our first session, you'll have a clearer sense of whether we're a good fit and what working together could actually look like. There's no pressure to commit to a direction in session one — just show up, and we'll take it from there together.