Samantha Schaefer, LCSW, PMH-C
Therapy for teens & adults in the San Francisco Bay Area and California
Specializing in trauma and EMDR, maternal mental health, depression and anxiety
You feel stuck.
You're doing your best, but it never seems to be enough. Maybe your past is getting in the way of your present. You feel unfulfilled and wonder what's wrong with you. You keep waiting for things to get better, but the daily grind never seems to end.
You’re thinking, “I should …..”
Be over this by now.
Be able to do it all.
Feel grateful for what I have.
Not be struggling so much.
Be enjoying life more than this.
Sound familiar?
What if you could gain a new perspective?
It's time to start feeling empowered and move from existing to truly living.
You can develop tools to take charge of the present and move forward feeling confident and content.
You can learn to let go of some of the noise and focus on what really matters.
You don’t have to do it alone. I'm here to help.
Meet Sam
I am a trauma-informed therapist focused on supporting youth, adults and couples during difficult life transitions. I have experience working with individuals struggling with a variety of issues, including anxiety, depression, PTSD, low self-esteem, and mental health challenges during pregnancy and postpartum or the transition to parenthood. I will work with you to rediscover your authentic sense of self, learn tools that help you navigate challenges, and live your life more fully. My clients say I’m authentic, direct and solution-focused. I offer therapy in both English and Spanish.
You've already taken an important first step: You're here. Let’s work together to get you on the path to feeling like yourself again.
Specialties
If you find that your past experiences are casting a shadow on your ability to fully embrace and enjoy the present moment, there is hope for healing from PTSD and moving forward.
Whether you're struggling to overcome the baby blues or rediscovering your sense of self, I'm here to help. Let's work together to equip you with the skills and support necessary to navigate postpartum depression and anxiety.
Something has you feeling stuck and overwhelmed. Maybe you're wondering when it gets better or if this is all there is. Individual therapy can be the first step toward cultivating a lifestyle with less anxiety and more fulfilling relationships.
My approach
-
I am direct and bring my authentic self to each session to foster a trusting and mutually respectful relationship. I am not a blank slate who will nod along during session. I show up fully in the same way I hope my clients will.
-
We’ll work together to create goals and actively work toward them so you leave our time together being able to identify concrete strategies to manage any challenges that come up.
-
My goal is to create a mutually-respectful, emotionally safe environment where you feel heard and accepted wherever you are in your journey. You are the expert on your life. I will always treat you with dignity, compassion and professionalism.
-
We’ll work together to create a personalized treatment plan that you feel invested in and that addresses your specific needs. Therapy is not a one-size-fits-all approach. I believe in tailoring my approach to your unique experiences and needs.
-
I bring a variety of training and treatment experience to our work. I provide brief solution-based therapy as well as longer-term work, and incorporate psychodynamic and cognitive approaches including modalities such as Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT), Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT) and Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing (EMDR).
You don’t have to face hard things alone.
Change is possible.
Ready to get started?
Step 1
Schedule a free 15 minute consultation to get a sense of what it’s like to talk with me. We will discuss your needs and how I can support you, you can ask any questions you have about me, my approach or therapy in general. You decide if we’re the right fit and if you would like to move forward with scheduling an appointment with me.
Step 2
We can either meet in person in my office or you can join our video sessions from a comfortable, private space where we’ll start the work of uncovering the root of what is stopping you from moving toward the life you want. Commit to regularly scheduled appointments and come ready to unpack patterns of behavior, past experiences and explore narratives.
If you’re newly postpartum, baby is welcome to join session with you, either in person or virtually.
Step 3
Reconnect with yourself and start living a life that satisfies you. You will walk away from our time together with the skills you need to feel grounded in your authentic self and better able to manage whatever life brings your way.