Samantha Murphy, LICSW

Samantha Murphy is a licensed clinical social worker who helps people managing stress, anxiety, depression, grief, and parenting challenges. She writes in plain terms and aims to make the first steps toward change feel doable. Her approach is warm and straightforward, and she focuses on practical tools that fit everyday life.

Samantha brings four years of clinical experience and holds a Minnesota Licensed Independent Clinical Social Worker credential, LICSW. She uses Cognitive Behavioral Therapy methods alongside client-centered and mindfulness techniques to help people notice unhelpful thinking and try different behaviors. Sessions often include clear skills and short experiments to practice between meetings.

Her work also covers trauma and abuse, self-esteem concerns, anger, ADHD, relationship and family problems, and life transitions. She pays attention to issues like attachment, abandonment, adoption and foster care, blended family stress, and caregiver strain. The aim is to address immediate concerns while building coping skills for ongoing challenges.

Samantha is comfortable using motivational interviewing and solution-focused strategies to set realistic goals and track progress. She listens for what matters most to each person and adapts tools to their situation. Conversations are respectful and paced to match how someone prefers to move forward.

Sessions are offered in English from Minnesota, and Samantha supports several communication formats including video, phone, live chat, and text messaging. She encourages people to start with small, manageable steps and offers guidance to help them stay on track.

Approach and online care that fits your life

Samantha commonly uses Cognitive Behavioral Therapy, Client-Centered Therapy, and Mindfulness Therapy to guide online work. Cognitive Behavioral Therapy helps people notice unhelpful thoughts and try different behaviors to reduce symptoms like anxiety or low mood. Client-Centered Therapy prioritizes the person’s own goals and pace, offering supportive listening and collaborative problem solving. Mindfulness Therapy teaches simple attention and breathing practices that can reduce reactivity and improve focus.

Finding the right mix of approaches is part of the process. Samantha will work with each person to decide which methods feel most useful based on their needs, goals, and preferences. That collaboration includes checking what helps and adjusting the plan over time so sessions remain practical and relevant.

Online sessions are offered by video calls, phone, live chat, or text-based messaging to make care accessible. Video works well for deeper conversations and skill demonstrations. Phone sessions can be a good choice when bandwidth is limited or a quieter check-in is needed. Live chat and text messaging suit shorter check-ins, between-session coaching, or when someone prefers typing. These options make it easier to fit therapy into work, school, or family schedules while still practicing the approaches that matter.