Samantha Strother

Hi, nice to meet you! Let me share a little bit about myself: I grew up in the suburbs of Houston, Texas before moving to the beautiful state of Tennessee, where I attended Austin Peay State University. There, I enjoyed fulfilling my long-held dream of playing college volleyball (“Let’s Go Peay!”) and earned a B.S. in Sociology. After college, I had the opportunity to join Pine Cove’s Christian discipleship program, The Forge, for the next year. This was a formative season of life that continues to shape how I approach faith, growth, and meaningful connection. I earned my M.A. in Professional Counseling from Dallas Baptist University and am deeply committed to ongoing professional development. Areas of particular interest include neuroscience, emotions, trauma, story-telling, and relationships. Scott Peck defines mental health as “the dedication to reality at all costs.” This is my favorite definition of the word and frames the way I approaches my work – aiming to create a shame-free environment where clients can explore the realities of their stories and day to day moments with acceptance and curiosity. I am empathetic and love to celebrate when clients move toward greater freedom, flexibility, acceptance, and growth. I seek to empower clients to engage in the inevitable challenges of life with more congruence, becoming more of the person they are made to be and living as the person they truly want to be. I use a holistic approach and understand the dynamics of trauma, relational systems, and the context of life in the healing process. I work well with clients wanting to address issues such as stress and anxiety, depression, grief, low self-esteem, boundaries and relationship difficulties, attachment and family of origin wounds, and sports performance. My training in evidence-based treatment models such as Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT), Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT), and Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing (EMDR) increases client’s awareness, challenges unhelpful thinking, and grounds clients in value-based lifestyles. Outside of work, I like to spend my time in active, social, or restful environments – in Dallas this looks like playing sports, being outside, game nights, finding the best sunset spots, Bible studies, and evenings at home where baked goods and friendships are enjoyed. I recognize the intentionality it takes to begin counseling and would consider it a privilege to walk alongside you at any point in your journey. I’m here when you need me! Samantha’s certifications include: Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing Therapy (EMDR) trained PREPARE/ ENRICH Premarital and Marriage Assessment Facilitator