Sam earned her B.A. in Psychology with a concentration in counseling from Colorado Mesa University in Grand Junction, Colorado in 2013. She earned a Master's in Social Work from Portland State University in 2019. Sam is a Registered Clinical Social Work Associate (CSWA) with the Oregon Board of Licenced Social Workers and is working towards her Licensed Clinical Social Worker (LCSW).
Sam's therapeutic style focuses on a no-nonsense, reality therapy-based approach with the idea that "the only way out is through." She operates from systems and social learning lens and works with clients to identify how systems of oppression affect their experiences and how to they can best work with the habits and coping skills they learned from their caregivers. Sam uses a combination of narrative, brief solution-focused, and Dialectical Behavioral Therapy techniques.
In her personal life, Sam enjoys hiking, kayaking, knitting, and running. She is a member of the National Association of Social Workers (NASW) and volunteers with local LGBTQIA+ community organizations to promote inclusive practices in all settings.