Samantha Hanson, LPC, ATR, Clini-Coach®

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Completed Trainings and New Services: Excitement in 2026 Updates

—we’re somehow a quarter of the way through the year. With that momentum comes some exciting updates and new developments worth sharing.

One of the biggest milestones so far: Samantha has completed the American Bariatric Counseling Association’s board certification program. This training focuses on best practices in the care, treatment, and prevention of obesity and related conditions. Through this certification, Samantha is now equipped to provide comprehensive assessments for individuals preparing for bariatric surgery, as well as ongoing therapeutic support after procedures.

This work goes beyond physical health. The emotional and psychological aspects of weight loss, healing, and long-term wellness are deeply interconnected. Samantha continues to pursue additional training in obesity care and health coaching to better support clients navigating both the physical and emotional complexities of their journeys.

In addition to this certification, Samantha has joined a new nonprofit initiative, Squirrel Space. She is currently engaged in training and helping to develop a virtual art program with a neurodivergent focus. This creative space aims to offer accessible, affirming support through artistic expression.

Squirrel Space is connected to Owl Therapy, which will focus on individual therapy services. Owl Therapy is currently in the process of credentialing and insurance paneling in the state of Florida. As demand and opportunities grow within both nonprofits, Samantha plans to expand licensure into additional states.

Samantha is also now officially recredentialed with a wide range of national and regional insurance providers through the third-party billing platform Tava Health. Tava allows for a speedy insurance verification process and self scheduling appointments can be requested here. As always, clients are encouraged to contact their insurance provider directly to verify coverage details, as individual plans ultimately determine copays, deductibles, and any out-of-pocket costs. These specifics may not always be fully visible to the provider or billing platform until claims have been processed.

Building programs and navigating licensing and insurance systems takes time, but more updates are expected later in 2026 as things continue to develop.

Another important update involves the Interstate Counseling Compact. The compact is now active in Arizona, Louisiana, Minnesota, and Ohio. This allows licensed providers in those states to apply to practice across state lines with clients who reside in participating states.

While Wisconsin is not yet part of the compact, Samantha is closely monitoring progress and plans to apply for participation as soon as it becomes available. Expanding access across the Midwest—and potentially beyond—is a key goal moving forward.

Stay tuned—there’s more to come as 2026 continues to unfold.

Debunking Myths: common misconceptions about therapy and mental health.

Therapy and mental health have long been surrounded by myths and misconceptions that can create unnecessary barriers for those seeking support. Let’s take a moment to clear up some of the most common ones:

1. Myth: Therapy is only for people with severe mental illness.
Reality: Therapy is for anyone who wants support, growth, or a better understanding of themselves. You don’t have to be in crisis to benefit from therapy. It can help with stress, life transitions, personal development, or simply having a safe space to process your thoughts and emotions.

2. Myth: Talking about problems will make them worse.
Reality: Avoiding problems often gives them more power over your life. In therapy, talking about your challenges in a structured way with a trained professional can help you gain new perspectives, process emotions, and develop effective coping strategies.

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3. Myth: Therapists just listen and nod.
Reality: Active listening is an essential part of therapy, but it goes beyond that. Therapists provide personalized tools, techniques, and insights to help you navigate challenges. Sessions may involve problem-solving, skill-building, and actionable steps toward your goals. At times, simply listening can be the focus, as voicing stress aloud can activate different internal processes, helping the subconscious connect dots and allowing the body to release physical tension. Sessions can involve problem-solving, skill-building, and creating actionable steps to help you achieve your goals.

4. Myth: Therapy is too expensive.
Reality: While therapy can be a financial investment, many insurance plans cover mental health services, making therapy more accessible. Additionally, some therapists offer sliding scale fees, and community organizations may provide low-cost or free services.

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5. Myth: You have to share everything right away.
Reality: Therapy progresses at your pace. You don’t have to dive into your deepest struggles immediately. A good therapist will create a safe and supportive environment, allowing you to open up as you feel comfortable.

6. Myth: Needing therapy means you’re weak.
Reality: Seeking therapy takes strength and self-awareness. It’s a proactive step toward personal growth and well-being, not a sign of weakness.

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7. Myth: Therapy guarantees quick results.
Reality: Therapy is a process that takes time and effort. While some people may see improvements quickly, others might need more time to work through their challenges. It’s important to have realistic expectations and trust the journey.

8. Myth: Medication is the only solution for mental health issues.
Reality: Medication can be helpful for some people, but therapy is an effective standalone or complementary treatment for many mental health concerns. It’s about finding the right approach for your unique needs.

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9. Myth: Therapists will tell you what to do.
Reality: Therapists don’t give orders or make decisions for you. Instead, they help you explore your options, clarify your values, and empower you to make choices that align with your goals.

10. Myth: Therapy is a lifetime commitment.
Reality: The length of therapy varies depending on your needs and goals. Some people attend for a few sessions to address a specific issue, while others find ongoing therapy helpful for long-term support and growth.

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11. Myth: Therapists will never discharge clients just to make money.

Reality: if you feel therapy is no longer necessary or if you disagree with your therapist, it’s important to speak up and have an open conversation. If your concerns are more situational and not clinically driven, coaching might be a better fit for you.

By debunking these myths, we can better understand the value of therapy and mental health care. If you’ve been hesitant about starting therapy due to any of these misconceptions, know that you’re not alone—and help is available when you’re ready.

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November: A Month of Mental Health Awareness and Compassion

This year has flown by, and we are already mid November. November offers us a unique opportunity to reflect, raise awareness, and foster compassion. It’s a month dedicated not only to celebrating cultural and personal identity but also to recognizing the profound impact of mental health on our lives and communities. Let’s explore how November’s observances connect to mental health and why they’re so crucial in fostering understanding and support.

National Family Caregivers Month

Caregivers play a vital role in supporting loved ones, often at great emotional and physical expense to themselves. Many face burnout, stress, and isolation as they juggle their responsibilities. This month encourages us to honor caregivers by recognizing their challenges, offering resources, and ensuring they feel supported in their own mental health journeys.

an old man lying down on a bed with a woman standing near him
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How You Can Help:

  • Offer a listening ear to a caregiver in your life.
  • Encourage them to seek respite care or counseling if needed.
  • Share resources like caregiver support groups and hotlines.
  • Be empathetic if they ask and do not follow through, the amount of responsibility they have felt for so long may be hard to see past.

National Diabetes Month

Living with diabetes is more than a physical health challenge—it also impacts mental health. The constant need for monitoring, management, and lifestyle adjustments can lead to stress, anxiety, and depression. For many, this journey highlights the intersection of physical and mental well-being.

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How You Can Help:

  • Learn about diabetes and the emotional toll it can take.
  • Support loved ones by encouraging healthy habits without judgment.
  • Advocate for better mental health resources in chronic illness care.

Native American Heritage Month

This month honors the history, culture, and contributions of Native American communities while acknowledging the systemic barriers they face. Generational trauma, health disparities, and a lack of access to mental health services are persistent challenges in these communities. Celebrating their resilience while advocating for equity is key.

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How You Can Help:

  • Educate yourself about Native American history and present-day struggles.
  • Support organizations providing culturally competent mental health care for Indigenous people.
  • Celebrate and amplify Native voices in your community.

Transgender Awareness Week (Nov. 13-19) & Transgender Day of Remembrance (Nov. 20)

Transgender individuals face unique mental health challenges, including discrimination, family rejection, and an increased risk of violence. Transgender Awareness Week highlights the need for understanding and advocacy, while the Transgender Day of Remembrance honors those lost to anti-transgender violence.

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How You Can Help:

  • Use inclusive language and respect people’s pronouns.
  • Advocate for trans-inclusive mental health policies.
  • Remember and honor trans lives by attending local or virtual events.

International Survivors of Suicide Loss Day (Nov. 23)

This day is a time for those who have lost someone to suicide to come together, share their stories, and heal. It underscores the importance of breaking the stigma around suicide and prioritizing mental health support for those left behind.

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How You Can Help:

  • Attend or promote events supporting survivors of suicide loss.
  • Familiarize yourself with resources like the American Foundation for Suicide Prevention.
  • Offer empathy and understanding to those who have experienced this loss.

Bringing It All Together

November reminds us that mental health is a shared responsibility. By acknowledging these observances and the people they impact, we can create a more empathetic and supportive world. Whether through learning, advocacy, or simply showing up for someone, every action matters.

Let this month inspire us to look out for each other and to prioritize mental health—not just in November, but all year long.

What are you doing to support mental health awareness this month? Share your thoughts and let’s keep the conversation going.

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Navigating the Journey of Grief and Recovery: Finding Light in the Darkness
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Some weeks, it feels like the world is caught in an endless cycle of chaos, with only a few bright moments scattered throughout. My heart goes out to the families affected by recent events, their friends, and everyone who has witnessed these tragedies in whatever way they resonate with you. In times like these, it’s crucial to find ways to take care of ourselves. Feel free to share how you practice self-care after encountering something difficult in the news or on social media.

Grief is a universal experience, yet it is deeply personal. It touches every corner of our lives, but no two people process it the same way. Whether it’s the loss of a loved one, the end of a significant relationship, or even a shift in life’s expectations, grief comes in many forms. While it often feels overwhelming and endless, recovery is possible—though it rarely follows a straight line.

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1. Understanding Grief: A Personal Journey

Grief is not just an emotion; it’s a journey. It can affect our physical health, disrupt daily routines, and bring about feelings of isolation. One of the key elements of grief is acknowledging that it’s okay to feel pain, anger, confusion, or even numbness. There is no “right” way to grieve, and each experience of loss is unique.

The stages of grief—denial, anger, bargaining, depression, and acceptance—are often presented as a linear path, but in reality, they can loop, repeat, or overlap. You may feel okay one moment and completely lost the next. It’s important to allow yourself the time and space to feel whatever comes, without judgment or expectation.

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2. Recovering: What Does It Really Mean?

Recovery doesn’t mean forgetting or moving on. Instead, it’s about learning how to live with the loss and finding ways to continue forward, carrying your grief with you. Healing looks different for everyone. For some, it may involve seeking therapy, support groups, or journaling. Others might find solace in creative outlets like art, music, or exercise.

Self-compassion plays a huge role in recovery. Treat yourself as you would a friend who’s grieving. Give yourself permission to have hard days and recognize that recovery is not a quick fix—it’s a process that requires patience and grace.

Physical well-being plays a part in emotional recovery, too. Simple acts like getting enough sleep, eating nourishing foods, and engaging in light physical activity can provide a much-needed sense of routine and normalcy. Recovery from grief isn’t only emotional—it’s holistic, involving both the mind and body.

Building a support system is also essential to recovery. Surrounding yourself with people who understand or are willing to listen helps ease the loneliness that often accompanies grief. Whether it’s close friends, family members, or a professional counselor, having a safe space to express your feelings can provide immense relief. It’s also okay to lean on others when your strength falters—reaching out for help is a sign of resilience, not weakness.

Lastly, allow yourself to rediscover joy. Grief can make it feel like happiness is no longer possible, but joy can exist alongside pain. Slowly, as you move through the stages of healing, moments of laughter or peace will emerge. Embrace them without guilt. Joy doesn’t diminish the importance of your loss; it honors your capacity to heal.

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What are the differences between anxiety and depression?

“The relationship between these two conditions is complicated, and one may occur because of the other. People with anxiety may avoid potentially stressful situations and become isolated, which can then lead to depression.”

Anxiety can usually be defined as excess worries and or fear, whereas depression can be seen more numbness, withdrawn and despair. There is great overlap however on many levels which can be helpful when seeking treatment methods. Both can influence digestive upsets – appetite and weight changes, difficulty concentrating and difficulty sleeping.

Differences include:

Anxiety :

  • Fear of injury, illness or death,
  • racing thoughts
  • hypervigilance regarding potential threats
  • excessive worrying about things going wrong
Anxiety
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Depression

  • loss of interest in hobbies or pleasurable activities
  • thoughts of death or suicide
  • feeling sad, anxious, or empty
  • feeling hopeless or pessimistic
  • no energy or motivation to worry past immediate future
Depression
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There are many functions of the brain and disorders we are still learning about including differences in conditions like Bipolar- 10/15 years ago we knew it as something completely different then how it can present today. The world is ever changing, and we are ever evolving – which while can help with treatment, can make it difficult to diagnose and treat. People may experience anxiety and depression together due to the overlap and unknown. In fact, nearly 50% of people with depression also receive a diagnosis of an anxiety disorder. Changes in the function of certain neurotransmitters, including serotonin and other chemicals, such as dopamine and epinephrine can be big influencing factors – so in many cases a treatment which includes a combination of medication and therapy can make a big difference.

Check out this article for more information and in-depth look on the differences between Anxiety and Depression https://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/anxiety-vs-depression#key-similarities-and-differences

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Reducing the stigma around mental health

Stigma can create self-doubt and shame, and gear toward discrimination. With mental health, it’s not an easy problem to solve, for example- your arm is broken, lets fix it. Mental Health concerns can include symptoms such as:

  • Overthinking
  • Guilt
  • Low self esteem
  • Intense sadness
  • Anger, irritability, easily frustrated
  • Physical symptoms including itching, headaches, stomach-aches, tight muscles, loss of sleep
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Metaphorically speaking, stress can be equated to building a snowman – you can be on what appears to be flat yard rolling a ball of snow around to make it bigger and bigger but say you don’t notice a slope and next thing you know it’s too big and heavy to lift onto the snowman and now you have multiple snowmen to make up for not being able to bear the weight of the snow ball.

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How can we help reduce what we can’t see?

  • Try to be accepting of each other’s differences
  • View different loads of stress as a difference, not as a weakness.
  • Offer to help with tasks, be open minded that tasks you might be fine with may be too much for someone else
  • Offer to listen – not fix
  • Remember that you don’t know what that person’s day has looked like leading up to this moment and they may need some empathy
  • Education, look into what stress may look like in different environments – work, personal, and differences in positive vs. negative stress. Check out this page for some more details on stress

Reducing the stigma isn’t only one person’s task, it’s a little bit from everyone, a community effort. Smile at someone today, even the smallest behavior from you can be a big influence on someone else’s day.

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Most common mental health disorder is..

Here is an interesting article regarding Anxiety disorders, affecting approximately 40 million adults aged 18 and older. I’ve summarized the article below, but feel free to jump right in an see the information it lists!

https://www.dbhutah.org/the-5-most-common-mental-disorders/#:~:text=The%20most%20common%20category%20of,and%20frequent%20fear%20and%20apprehension.

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GAD – or Generalized Anxiety Disorder is often seen with symptoms of excessive worrying, recurring thoughts and or behaviors that may appear uncontrollable or over-controlled.

GAD – can come with Panic attacks – frequent sudden attacks that may include difficulty breathing, hyperventilating, intense pain or discomfort and may appear to come un suddenly.

Significant or specialized types of anxiety disorders include:

  • Post Traumatic Stress Disorder- significant traumatic event that can vary from situations including witnessing domestic violence, combat, significant unexpected work situation, medical trauma and more
  • Social anxiety disorder: anxiety around people, feeling watched or judged
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Anxiety can be a part of or influencing factor in…

  • mood disorders – moderate to severe symptoms which cause fluctuations in moods enough to disrupt daily lives – anxious, empty, guilt, decreased energy
  • major depressive disorder
  • bipolar disorder
  • substance-induced mood disorder
  • psychotic disorders
  • dementia
  • eating disorders

Where to go for help with any of these concerns listed above? You can start with checking your insurance member portal- they have a way to find medical and behavioral health providers and who is actively accepting clients and in network. Check out my page here, scroll all the way to the bottom to find a list of questions to ask when you call. Whoever you choose to be your provider will appreciate you calling ahead!

There are also different directories you can go on to filter providers such as psychologytoday and mentalhealthmatch, and a non-insurance, low-income directory- openpath people who may not have insurance or the funds to pay their high deductible plan copays or access to providers who may not have sliding scales. Those directories are not always as up to date as the insurance directories are, so I would recommend starting with insurance and then taking names you find to those directories.

Group updates!

I have updated my Facebook events here, as well as my online directories on Psychology today and Therapy den! At this time there is no waitlist for these groups, and the support groups do have a minimum requirement to run.  For the virtual attendees I can send an art kit to you that we would be using in person so you may create with us from home.

These events include:

Community Open studio

Relaxed environment to come create – first and third Friday of the month $7 to cover supplies, under 12 requires an adult to stay. How does it work? I turn on relaxing music and bring my supplies down to the conference room, you can create alone or engage with others. Please contact me for more info or check here

(for those who previously showed interest in this Facebook event- I accidentally deleted the whole series when trying to cancel one date due to weather, so I apologize, you won’t need to redo any form, but you should go back in and click going or interested to receive notifications)

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Adolescent Inclusivity Support Group

$50 to attend, private pay / no insurance – 6-10 spots-preregistration required here; Virtual attendance is accepted. Please contact me for more info or check here

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Pandemic Stress Support for Adults.

50$ to attend, private pay / no insurance – 6-10 spots-preregistration required here; Virtual attendance is accepted Please contact me for more info or check here

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#Therapythursday #anxiety #counselingnearme #depression #stress #bpd #mooddisorders #womenissues #menshealth #teenhealth #craftnight #openstudio #create #arttherapy #arttherapyrocks #supportgroup #stupidcancer

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Mindfulness, Meditation

“Case of the mondays….”  I am feeling this today! I was looking at a new app over the weekend I found in one of my therapy forums, called “insight timer”.  As some of you might see already on my business page, I did a “Facebook live” recently with two guided mindfulness scripts.  “Leaves on a stream, and eye of the hurricane”.  I am not sure how to connect that live with this blog, but you can access it here.   In these scripts I read out loud and you, as the reader can close your eyes and imagine being in the “story”, for example, sitting by the stream, seeing thoughts float by as leaves, or the chaos of all the thoughts and feelings rushing around you, while you are safe in the middle of the eye of the storm. 

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With Insight timer, it has probably about a million meditations, nature sounds, white noise, drumming sessions, and much, much more for free to experience on your own time.  I highly recommend looking into it, especially as it’s a free app.  Mindfulness and meditation can be as short as 30 seconds, or as long as you need it – some half hour. I recommend starting small, fitting it in while you are eating or preparing for bed, or waking in the morning.  For some it can be uncomfortable due to the busyness of our lives and suddenly sitting and listening, not “doing something”.  That sitting—–> is self-care, and it’s important to remember that. ” Take time to smell the flowers” or listen to a meditation, or nature sounds. Comment here what is helpful for you!