Samantha Tatum, LCSW

Samantha Tatum is a licensed clinical social worker in California with nine years of experience. She focuses on helping people who feel stuck by listening first and building practical steps toward change.

Samantha helps clients manage stress and anxiety and cope with grief and loss. She also supports people facing life changes, motivation and self-esteem struggles, ADHD challenges, addictions, and depression. Communication problems and relationship strain are additional areas she addresses.

Her approach centers on a calm, open atmosphere where people can share thoughts and feelings without judgment. She draws on Cognitive Behavioral Therapy, Client-Centered Therapy, and Dialectical Behavior Therapy to shape sessions that match each person's needs. Sessions include talking through problems, trying small experiments, and practicing new skills between meetings.

Samantha aims to make therapy clear and usable. She helps set simple goals, tracks progress, and adjusts plans when something is not working. The focus is on actions that bring relief and build confidence.

People who are looking for a straightforward, supportive guide through life transitions often find her style helpful. She encourages honesty, curiosity, and steady effort as tools for change. If someone wants practical support for everyday struggles, she offers a steady, nonjudgmental presence to work alongside them.

Using CBT, DBT, and Client-Centered Work Online

Samantha uses Cognitive Behavioral Therapy to help people notice unhelpful thoughts and try new behaviors that change how they feel. CBT is useful for anxiety, low mood, and everyday stressors by focusing on clear steps and practice between sessions.

She also draws on Dialectical Behavior Therapy skills for emotion regulation and distress tolerance. DBT techniques teach breathing, grounding, and communication skills that can reduce overwhelm in intense moments. Client-Centered Therapy shapes the way she listens, giving people space to be heard and guiding sessions from the client's goals.

Finding the right approach is collaborative. She works with each person to decide whether CBT tasks, DBT skills, or a more client-centered conversation fits best. Goals, preferences, and how someone responds to different techniques guide the plan.

Online formats include video calls, phone sessions, live chat, and text-based messaging, which make scheduling more flexible. Video lets people see and talk in real time, phone can be easier when bandwidth is low, and chat or messaging works well for quick check-ins or when writing feels more comfortable. These options help fit therapy into busy lives and make regular work on goals more practical.