Samantha Skinner (she/her)

I am cis-gender myself, but part of the queer community, and early in my career I noticed a large knowledge/competence gap with trans care among helping professionals. I have many trans loved ones and clients, and wanted to use my personal and professional experiences to help fill this gap. I have pursued extensive training since 2018 to ensure that I can support the trans community competently, and I also train other therapists on this topic to help reduce harm caused by others.

As a queer woman, I know how it feels to be marginalized based on my identity. However, I recognized that I also hold many privileges as a white, able-bodied person. As a therapist to the queer community, it's important to me to create a safe space for those in our community whose identities are more stigmatized and less privileged, including BIPOC, gender-diverse, polyamorous, kinky, neurodiverse, and disabled clients who face greater discrimination in our society and in the LGBTQ+ community.

As a queer woman, I know how it feels to be marginalized based on my identity. However, I recognized that I also hold many privileges as a white, cis, able-bodied person. As a therapist to the queer community, it's important to me to create a safe space for those in our community whose identities are more stigmatized and less privileged, including BIPOC, gender-diverse, polyamorous, kinky, neurodiverse, and disabled clients.

I was diagnosed with ADHD as an adult and learning this about myself was truly life-changing. It was so helpful to finally learn about my brain and the ways I could adjust my life to better support my neurotype. ADHD can be a disability at times and a superpower at times. In therapy, we work on skills to manage it's challenges while also working to reduce the shame many ADHDers feel after years of being misunderstood and under-supported.

I was diagnosed with ADHD as an adult and learning this about myself was truly life-changing. It was so helpful to finally learn about my brain and the ways I could adjust my life to better support my neurotype. ADHD can be a disability at times and a superpower at times. In therapy, we work on skills to manage it's challenges while also working to reduce the shame many ADHDers feel after years of being misunderstood and under-supported.

Beyond supporting clients in the LGBTQ+ community, I am passionate about cultural competence in all areas. I try my best to learn about experiences that differ from my own so that clients don't have to use their therapy time educating me on cultural groups they belong to or identities they hold. I also value cultural humility and I recognize that each individual is unique. I will make an effort to not assume anything about your experiences based on how you look or how you identify.

When I first learned about ACT as a counseling student, I dove deep into the content through reading and trainings and quickly developed a passion for it. ACT has proven extremely helpful in my personal life and very effective at treating many issues for my clients, including anxiety, depression, trauma, low self-esteem, and coping with life stressors. ACT teaches you how to relate to your thoughts and feelings in a more helpful way and build a meaningful life that aligns with your values.