Samantha Tatum

I am a Licensed Clinical Social Worker who enjoys working with all ages and demographics. I have prior experience working in hospice, grief and loss support, home health, Partial hospitalization, and Intensive Outpatient programs, and about 9 years of providing therapy. I like to use various modalities and help clients increase awareness to make shifts toward change in their lives. I am accepting, non-judgmental, open, and here to provide a safe space for clients to share and process whatever they need.

Eclectic: I like to be able to use a variety of modalities, strongly client-centered, compassion and strength-focused, using CBT, DBT, strengths-based, grief support/education, humanistic, emotionally focused, and sometimes art or play therapy. Cognitive Behavioral (CBT): Assist clients with looking at how to change thinking and behaviors, can be especially helpful with anxiety symptoms. Dialectical Behavior (DBT): Practicing emotional regulation skills; teaching mindfulness and its importance, distress tolerance- how not to make things work, emotional regulation, validation, interpersonal effectiveness- improving relationships and self-respect and lastly finding middle ground and negotiation in conflict. Useful to help build awareness of behavior and work towards change. Compassion-Focused: Life is hard and we are harder on ourselves, compassion-focused means I am on your side and understanding of the situation, feelings, and am here to support, no judgment.

I feel that I am open, accepting, strength-based, try to be solution-focused, and very compassionate. I love people, I understand love and pain, I am understanding of people and what they have been through, and I want clients to be better to themselves and feel better inside and out. I do have some medical experience which helps, and I feel my specialty in grief/end of life allows me to go deeper and not be fearful to discuss the untalkable.

Typically, within the first few sessions, I will explore goals with you and determine what you want to focus on and areas for growth. Building mastery will be done collaboratively ,taking goals into bite-sized manageable chunks. Progress is reviewed periodically and celebrated, we are all doing the best we can and can do better.