Cassie Samuelson (she/her)

I graduated with my Master of Science in Clinical Mental Health Counseling from Tarleton State University in 2022, and I’m a Licensed Professional Counselor in Texas. Before counseling, I worked in music, education, and the non-profit sector. I have a history of advocating for often unheard populations, and this has continued into counseling. I've worked in virtual IOP, private practice, specialized OCD care, and university counseling services. Now, I specialize in working with folks seeking better self-understanding and developing skills which align with your values. I work from the perspective that a person’s self is wholly good. Rather than attempting to force change, we will work toward coping with and accepting the dynamic person you are, as well as developing needed skills to address issues. I prioritize connection, autonomy, education, feelings work, and functional skills in session. We will work to disengage from overthinking/rumination and instead engage in the here and now.

I believe firmly that each person has the potential for change, and that there is no capacity, limit, or rulebook for what being a person looks like. When we seek to change, we should seek to change for our own wellness and joy, rather than changing to align with a societal or external standard. As a late-diagnosed neurodivergent and chronically-ill adult, I spent much of my development asking the universe, "What are the rules here? How does everyone else know, but I don't?" I deeply know the shame, confusion, and loneliness this sense of otherness can cause. I learned, through therapy and in relationships with affirming people, that there's no such rulebook. We are who we are, and who we are is inherently worthy of a good life. With this learning, I came to believe that humans are responsible for (1) loving ourselves, (2) embracing others, and (3) challenging ourselves to meet our own and collective needs. Think: finding a balance between giving grace and remaining accountable.