Samantha Brown

I attribute my success to a combination of clinical experience, a person-centered approach, and a commitment to creating meaningful human connection. I have been in the behavioral mental health field since 2018, and after working for several agencies conducting diagnostic assessments under a psychologist, I realized that the systems I was in didn’t always prioritize the values that matter most to me empathy, relational care, and genuine connection. Motivated to build something different, I launched my private practice, Pathfinder Counseling, in February 2025, going full-time in April. Over the past year, I have grown from a solo practice to hiring two additional therapists and preparing to move into a larger office space. My work focuses on supporting neurodivergent individuals, particularly those with autism and ADHD, as well as women navigating identity development and mothers reconnecting with themselves after early parenthood. Embracing a humanistic, relational, and person-centered therapy approach, I have learned that leadership and empathy are not opposites, and growing my own practice has allowed me to create a space where both my clients and my team can truly thrive.

I would absolutely say trust the process of our training, because you have to just be with people and sit with people and be open to learning. If you're a baby in the therapist world, that would be the best thing to do - just trust that process and be open to opportunities. On the business side, I would say just take the leap. I had a moment where I was so scared to jump into private practice. It was something I wanted to do, but I got this push from the universe that said now's the time, let's do it, let's jump. If I could go back, I would tell myself to make the jump sooner. I very much believe that things happen how they need to, but that would be the thing I would tell people - just trust in yourself and make the jump. At the same time, really rely on other people's wealth of knowledge. I'm no business expert, but I've really committed to reading the books, listening to the podcasts, and doing consultations and business coaching with people. Knowledge is power. So trusting yourself, making the jump, and then asking for support are my big pieces there.

I think the biggest challenge in our field when switching over to any kind of business thing is learning how to do that, because they don't teach us any of that in graduate school. That's been the biggest challenge for me - learning the business management side while being a therapist. I'm pretty resourceful, so I just lean on those resources. It's also been about being able to delegate out and manage systems as the practice grows. The business side required real humility because graduate school did not prepare me to run payroll, manage billing systems, or develop marketing plans. I had to become a student again, reading books, listening to podcasts, and investing in business coaching. There was a steep learning curve, but what I discovered is that entrepreneurship isn't about knowing everything - it's about being willing to learn, adapt, and keep moving forward even when the path feels uncertain.

The values that are most important to me are human connection, empathy, and creating safe spaces where people feel valued and heard. I really value that relational, person-centered approach - those connection points are really, really important to me. I also try to bring levity and humor into my work, especially when we need to give ourselves grace. That can be really valuable when working with people. Boundaries and self-care are huge for me too. I'm trying to keep those work boundaries in place, which is a growth area, especially now that it's all on me and I can't really ever clock out because it's my practice. I find balance by finding small moments of joy, awe, and gratitude. My husband and I have a morning coffee ritual before he goes to work - we sit and have coffee together, and that's really important for starting my day. I make sure I have a small moment or step away at the end of the day too, giving myself that break from being in that therapist role. I'm also in therapy myself, because I think all the best therapists are in therapy too. It's important for us to have that additional support and to consult with others, whether in formal consultation or just talking with my other clinicians. We can't do this work in isolation.