Samantha Halfen, MA, LMHC
Helping high-functioning women reconnect with themselves through trauma-informed therapy in Washington State
If you’ve made it here, chances are you’ve been carrying a lot—quietly, capably, maybe for years. From the outside, you’re functioning just fine. But inside, it’s more complicated: anxiety that won’t quit, self-doubt that lingers, relationships that leave you feeling stuck or unseen.
You’ve done a remarkable job managing it all. But maybe now, you’re starting to wonder: What if it didn’t have to feel this hard?
I work with women who are outwardly high-achieving but inwardly exhausted—often holding the long-term impact of childhood trauma, attachment wounds, or emotionally unavailable family systems. Some have a diagnosis like PTSD, BPD, or bipolar disorder. Others just know they’re burned out and disconnected from the person they used to be.
You don’t have to hold it all alone anymore.
My Career Didn't Start in Therapy
Before I became a therapist, my undergraduate focus was in business management, which led me to start my career in the corporate world. I was great at spreadsheets—but not exactly inspired by them. Over time (and many therapy sessions of my own as a client), I realized I was more drawn to people’s stories than to numbers and systems.
That realization led me to pursue a graduate degree in clinical psychology. While in school, I supported nonprofit mental health agencies, which gave me a deeper understanding of how trauma contributes to mental health challenges—and how systems often fall short in supporting healing.
I also took a five-year “break” 😉 from paid work to raise my kids when they were little. (As any parent knows, that wasn’t exactly a break.) It was a different kind of education—one that deepened my understanding of emotional labor, identity shifts, and the quiet, often invisible work so many women carry.
All of these experiences have shaped how I show up in the therapy room: practical, grounded, and deeply human.
What Therapy Feels Like
Therapy with me is collaborative, flexible, and deeply human. Yes—we will talk about hard things. But we’ll also pause when needed, check in often, and bring in humor when it helps (which it often does).
In our work together, you can expect:
The content may be heavy, but the experience doesn’t have to be. We’ll talk about real things—but that doesn’t mean it has to feel clinical or cold. Laughter and levity are welcome here. So are tears, silence, messy metaphors, and moments where you say, “I’m not sure where to start.”
In our work together, you can expect:
- A nonjudgmental space to show up as you are—even if “as you are” is overwhelmed or uncertain
- Sessions that adapt to your emotional pacing—no pressure to go deep every time
- A mix of deep work, practical tools, and space for the day-to-day stuff too (venting about your partner or that annoying parent in the PTA is part of therapy, too!)
- An invitation to bring your full self—including the parts that are anxious, sarcastic, tired, or totally over it
The content may be heavy, but the experience doesn’t have to be. We’ll talk about real things—but that doesn’t mean it has to feel clinical or cold. Laughter and levity are welcome here. So are tears, silence, messy metaphors, and moments where you say, “I’m not sure where to start.”
My Approach
I use a trauma-informed, strengths-based approach grounded in both evidence-based modalities and real-life experience. I won’t pathologize your coping—I’ll help you understand it, honor what it’s done for you, and explore what else might be possible now.
I often integrate:
I offer therapy in a format that fits your life. That includes secure online sessions for clients across Washington State, and Walk and Talk Therapy in Maple Valley for those who feel more grounded in nature. Whether it’s a cozy corner at home or a wooded trail in nature, we’ll find a rhythm that works for you.
I often integrate:
- EMDR therapy for processing painful memories and reducing emotional reactivity
- Attachment-focused and Ego States Therapy to explore early patterns and relationship dynamics with others and self
- DBT, ACT, and CBT for emotion regulation, boundary-setting, and building self-trust
- Psychoeducation around trauma, nervous system responses, and why you might still be reacting to something that “shouldn’t” be a big deal
I offer therapy in a format that fits your life. That includes secure online sessions for clients across Washington State, and Walk and Talk Therapy in Maple Valley for those who feel more grounded in nature. Whether it’s a cozy corner at home or a wooded trail in nature, we’ll find a rhythm that works for you.
Who I Work With
I work with adult women (18+) across Washington State who are navigating:
You deserve care that meets you where you are—and honors where you’ve been. My practice is inclusive and affirming of LGBTQIA+, BIPOC, and neurodivergent clients. You are welcome here.
- Complex trauma, PTSD, or childhood emotional neglect
- Relationship patterns that feel hard to change
- Anxiety, overthinking, and burnout
- Self-doubt, emotional overwhelm, or difficulty trusting others
- BPD, bipolar disorder, or mood-related challenges
- Life transitions that bring up old wounds or unexpected grief
You deserve care that meets you where you are—and honors where you’ve been. My practice is inclusive and affirming of LGBTQIA+, BIPOC, and neurodivergent clients. You are welcome here.
What's Possible in Therapy
Healing isn’t linear, and it won’t always feel graceful. But with the right support, it is possible to feel more like yourself again—even if it’s been a long time since you did.
Over time, you might notice:
We’ll take it at your pace. We’ll make space for the messy middle. And when it gets hard, we’ll find room to breathe, to regulate, and—when it fits—to laugh.
Over time, you might notice:
- More clarity in your boundaries and relationships
- Less shame around how you feel or react
- A stronger connection to your values and intuition
- Relief from the pressure to always “hold it together”
- A growing sense of self-trust—and maybe even ease
We’ll take it at your pace. We’ll make space for the messy middle. And when it gets hard, we’ll find room to breathe, to regulate, and—when it fits—to laugh.
Let's Talk
Whether you’re here after months of thinking about therapy or a recent moment that cracked something open, I’m glad you found your way.
You don’t have to keep carrying it all on your own.
Samantha Halfen, MA, LMHC is a Licensed Mental Health Counselor in Washington State (License #LH60440789) with a Master’s in Clinical Psychology from Argosy University Seattle. She has been in private practice since 2013.
You don’t have to keep carrying it all on your own.
Samantha Halfen, MA, LMHC is a Licensed Mental Health Counselor in Washington State (License #LH60440789) with a Master’s in Clinical Psychology from Argosy University Seattle. She has been in private practice since 2013.