About Sam

In my late twenties, I found myself embodying that meme with the dog in the burning room, except my flames were the soul-sucking glow of NYC corporate fluorescents that burnt me out. Stuck in a dead-end digital media career, I battled a trifecta of ADHD, anxiety, and depression. I rode the carousel of crappy jobs, trapped in a stagnant relationship, and wore a facade of happiness while crumbling inside. I was the Queen of people-pleasing and CEO of unhealthy coping strategies—numbing myself with anything to distract from the overwhelm and break free from the cycle of misery.

To say I was out of alignment would be putting it mildly. My internal GPS was completely malfunctioning.

Then, plot twist! Life intervened. A random injury introduced me to breathwork. Skeptical, I attended my first class expecting to make mental grocery lists. Instead, I walked out humbled. It cracked open a locked up, hidden part of me —a wake-up call revealing a different kind of life filled with community and inner strength.

Fueled by this awakening, I shifted my energy toward yoga, meditation, psychology, neuroscience, and spirituality. I found myself embracing holistic healing and bidding farewell to a soul-sucking lifestyle. My new desk job at a Brooklyn yoga studio wasn’t only a career shift. This realigned my entire life toward vitality, syncing my work, relationships, and environment with my newfound values.

Amidst the pandemic and a relationship collapse, I realized my desire to make a positive impact, ultimately leading me to pursue a career in clinical social work and therapeutic practices.

Then, psychedelics entered the chat. This added an essential layer, not only about self-discovery and visions, but actually rewiring my nervous system. Expertly guided experiences pointed me away from traditional medication and toward a more integrated approach. I healed deep inter-generational wounds, creating healthier patterns for myself and potentially future generations.

Now, at 32, I’m a licensed therapist and future LCSW with thousands of hours in private practice, and blend integrative psychotherapy with meditation, holistic mentorship, somatics, and yogic philosophy. Inspired by the power of breath and movement, the brilliance of nature and my compassionate mentors and healers, I root my offerings in evidence-based and trauma-informed practices.

From crafting mindfulness programs and offering therapy in underserved communities to presenting global research on girls’ rights. I’ve explored various alternative realms to discover my authentic path, which feels so effortlessly me. My work has the flavor of all I’ve been through…plus a healthy dose of dark humor.

Together, we can uncover the root of your struggles. Map out your healing path. And, maybe drop a few f-bombs along the way. Because let’s be real, sometimes, “f*ck” is the most therapeutic word in the English language

Licenses & Certifications

- New Jersey Licensed Social Worker (LSW): Credential ID 44SL06790700

- New York Licensed Master Social Worker (LMSW) : Credential ID 117003

- Rutgers: Interprofessional Trauma Informed Clinical Training Certification

- Rutgers: MSW Certificate in Promoting Child & Adolescent Wellbeing

- Cybin EMBARK Psychedelic-Assisted Psychotherapy Facilitator Certification

- Journey Clinical Ketamine Assisted Psychotherapy Facilitator Certification

- Registered Yoga Teacher Certification (200 hours)

- Yin Yoga Certification

Education

- Marist College 2010-2014: Bachelor of Arts, Game and Interactive Media Design

- Rutgers School of Social Work 2020-2022: MSW, Clinical Social Work

- Rutgers School of Social Work 2021-2022: Clinical Fellow: RUBY Fellowship Behavioral Health Workforce Education and Training

Psychedelic Trainings

I’m currently certified to provide psychedelic psychotherapy as a facilitator sponsored clinical trials, responsible for delivering skillful and ethical psychedelic-assisted psychotherapy to study participants. I continue to receive in-depth didactic and experiential training in the full spectrum of psychedelic-assisted therapy best practices and evidence-based interventions under supervision.

My approach is rooted in the EMBARK™ model, a ground-breaking psychotherapy model that integrates leading clinical approaches to promote supportive healing with psychedelic medicine. EMBARK is a transdiagnostic psychedelic-assisted psychotherapy applicable to a range of indications including major depressive disorder, alcohol use disorder, and anxiety disorders. EMBARK’s integrative approach comprises of six therapeutic domains: Existential & Spiritual, Mindfulness, Body Aware, Affective-Cognitive, Relational, and Keeping Momentum.

  • — Collective Care with Florie St. Aime, LCSW

    — Trauma Informed Care with Marcela Ot’Alora, G, MA, LPC

    — Ethically Rigorous Care with Kylea Taylor, MFT

    — Culturally Competent Care with Nicole T. Buchanan, PhD

  • — Existential-Spiritual Domain with Alex Belser, PhD

    — Mindfulness Domain with Tony Back, MD

    — Body-Aware Domain with Manuela Mischke-Reeds, MFT

    • Cultivating the Therapist Seat

    • Somatic Resourcing

    — Affective Cognitive Domain with Adele LaFrance, PhD

    — Relational Domain with Jeffrey Guss, MD

    — Keeping Momentum Domain with Bill Brennan, PHD

  • — Into the Shadow & Out Again with Andrew Solomon, PhD

    — Holding Space in Placebo Sessions with Jordan Slowshower, MD, MSc

To learn more about the work Cybin and EMBARK training model read more here: https://cybin.com/embark/

To give you some idea of the type of things I work with, please refer to the list below

Anxiety

Depression

Stress

ADHD

Complex/Generational Trauma

Life Transitions

Relationship Issue’s

Highly Sensitive Humans

Women’s Issue’s

LGBTQ+

  • — You're in your late twenties, thirties or your forties, at a crossroads in a job or relationship that feels soul-sucking, unsure of the next steps.

    — You’re frustrated because you thought you had a plan for your life, and things aren't working out the way you hoped.

    — You feel guilty for being drained all the time.

    — You're constantly focused on external achievements, yet inside, you battle feelings of inadequacy and burnout.

    — You look like you have it all together from the outside, but you’re falling apart on the inside.

    — You’re scared that if you say no, you’ll lose important relationships.

    — You’re excited by the idea of breaking family patterns and living in a way that is authentic to you.

    — You’re ready for fulfilling relationships where you feel seen and your needs are met.

    — You feel connected to something bigger than you, and you’re ready to tap into that.

    — You want therapy or mentorship to integrate spiritual practices, eastern philosophy, meditation, and maybe even psychedelics.

    — You're navigating anxiety and the pressure of "I should be at a different point in my life."

    — You're craving meaningful connections but keep hitting dead ends or attracting the wrong partners.

    — Communicating your needs feels daunting, or perhaps you're unsure what they even are.

  • — You’re looking for quick fixes or overnight solutions to deep-seated issues.

    — You’re not open to exploring new perspectives or integrating spirituality and mindfulness into your growth journey.

    — You prefer traditional cognitive therapy methods exclusively and are not interested in mindfulness, somatics or mindset coaching.

    — You’re not ready to commit time, energy, and resources to your personal development.

    — You’re uncomfortable with the idea of deep self-reflection and confronting uncomfortable truths.

    — You expect the therapist or mentor to do all the work for you, without taking personal responsibility for your healing process.

    — You’re not in a place where you can safely engage in deep emotional work (it’s important to seek immediate professional help if you’re in crisis).

    — You believe that change can happen without actively participating in the process or applying the insights gained from sessions.

    — You’re not interested in examining or challenging long-standing patterns that may be contributing to your current state.

    — You’re looking for someone to agree with you at all times, rather than challenge you and offer new perspectives.

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