Today we’d like to introduce you to Samantha Anderson.
Hi Samantha, it’s an honor to have you on the platform. Thanks for taking the time to share your story with us – to start maybe you can share some of your backstory with our readers?
I have always enjoyed talking with people, learning their story, and understanding their inner world. After graduating college, I decided to pursue a career in counseling. I’ve worked with adults, teens, and couples. After finding my way into my own private practice, I learned that I really have a heart for those struggling with relationships, whether that be currently in a their own relationship or working though past and present relationships in all aspects of their lives. A large part of my work centers around helping clients heal from narcissistic abuse and relational trauma.
I’ve been in the mental health field for 12 years now. I started out working in a school as a counselor and while I loved my job and my coworkers, I felt that something was missing. I eventually decided that I would branch out into the private practice world as a therapist, diving into it head first and learning the ins and outs of running a business along the way. I definitely would say I am driven by passion for people and the trust that everything happens the way it is supposed to.
We all face challenges, but looking back would you describe it as a relatively smooth road?
I am a single parent, so jumping into business and owning my own private practice was incredibly scary because there was not a safety net of a back up income. I knew how to do therapy, but I had no idea what it meant to run a business. Everything from LLCs to taxes has been a learning curve. The first 6 months were the scariest trying to get my name out of there and get the business off the ground. I was working crazy hours to accommodate schedules and trying to make connections with anyone and everyone. It was a really intimidating and vulnerable experience to put myself out there and wonder if it was going to work out. Spoiler alert, it did. But it took a lot of tears, questioning my decisions, therapy of my own, and trusting the timing. I have also been incredibly lucky to have a strong support system of family and friends that encouraged and loved me through all the struggles. My son is my world and I wanted to be able to show him that as a single parent, I could take courageous leaps of faith, work hard, and build a life that we wanted. Being able to run my own business and create my schedule has allowed me be a fully engaged mom and therapist.
Appreciate you sharing that. What else should we know about what you do?
I am a licensed professional counselor (aka therapist). I am a nationally board certified counselor, licensed in Missouri, Kansas, and Texas. I am certified in Narcissistic Abuse, DBT, trained in the Gottman Method for couples, and in the process of becoming a Certified Mental Health & Nutrition Clinical Specialist.
A large part of my work centers around helping clients heal from narcissistic abuse and relational trauma. Majority of my clientele are adults, although I do see people ages 13+. Narcissistic abuse is becoming more well known, but it really is a different type of trauma and needs to be addressed with a strong understanding of it, as to not do more harm than good. Because of this, I have done additional training to address the needs of those who have experienced relational trauma, specifically in narcissistic abuse. While that area is important to me, I would say I really work with those who feel lost and unsure about themselves and their lives. It’s so cheesy, but helping people find themselves and feel empowered is what I love to do.
While I am proud of my additional training, What matters the most to me is the relationships I build with my clients. I don’t want them to feel like it’s 50 minutes of someone listening to them and then kicking them out the door. Clients trust me with the most vulnerable parts of their world and I truly honor that and do not take that responsibility lightly. I am most proud of those moments that I have clients have their ah-ha moments, or feel they’ve gained their power back and we can look at each other and know that we’ve done good work. I really believe in trusting our own intuition and reconnecting with ourselves. I would say another large piece of my work that I am proud of is working with people who want to regain that sense of trust in themselves and connect strongly to their intuition. After trauma and just life experiences, we can sometimes forget to trust and love ourselves fully. Reconnecting and healing through an intuitive lens is key for some people in this work.
Is there a quality that you most attribute to your success?
The most important characteristic to success in my world is authenticity. I’ve had people say things like “I don’t normally open up like this when I first meet someone” and I don’t think it’s because I am a magician. I attribute that to being authentically myself, which in turn makes other people feel safe to be themselves. No one is looking perfection, because that is unattainable. They are looking for authentic, congruent people, and in therapy world, it’s crucial to have that trust for there to be successful outcomes. I’m not the kind of therapist to just nod and take notes. I’ll lovingly call out patterns keeping people small and also be their biggest supporter and have their back. Clients feel comfortable coming in and dropping onto the couch, sometimes with a coffee or dog in hand, and that’s exactly how I want it to be. Creating a space where people can be themselves and feel heard, seen, validated, and walk out the door with real change. I promise I am not always this cheesy, but it’s true! Real people, real connection, and real change.
Pricing:
- I am out of network with insurance, but I do work on a sliding scale basis and I work with an Employee Assistance Program called Lyra.
Contact Info:
- Website: www.sunrisecounselingkc.com
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/sunrisecounselingkc?igsh=bGRkbXg3ZnYxNDZu&utm_source=qr
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/people/Samantha-Anderson-Sunrise-Counseling-Services/100093266559031/
- Other: https://www.tiktok.com/@samantha_therapist?_t=ZP-90QAoQQUSRq&_r=1
