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Samantha Shown, MA, LCMHCA

Telehealth Therapist in North Carolina

Everyone Thinks
You "Look Fine"

Virtual therapy for adults across North Carolina living with chronic illness, chronic pain, autism, ADHD, and AuDHD

My Approach to Therapy

lotus flower

My work is rooted in Gestalt therapy, a present-focused, experiential approach that helps you build awareness of your emotions, patterns, and relationships in real time.

As a somatic, trauma- and queer-informed therapist, I pay close attention to how chronic illness, chronic pain, autoimmune conditions, fatigue, sensory overload, executive dysfunction, and stress show up in your whole body and nervous system—not justin your thoughts.

Autism, ADHD, & AuDHD

Autism and ADHD aren't problems to be fixed, but they do shape the way you experience the world, relationships, work, and yourself. Years of trying to keep up or fit in can leave you feeling exhausted, overwhelmed, and disconnected.

Many of the people I work with are navigating masking, burnout, executive dysfunction, sensory overload, rejection sensitivity, or the constant pressure to appear "fine." Together, we'll slow down, make sense of those patterns, and explore ways of living that feel more sustainable and aligned with who you are.

Therapy is a space to better understand how your brain works, unlearn shame, and build a life that doesn't depend on constantly pushing yourself beyond your capacity. Most importantly, it's a place where you don't have to pretend you're okay or explain why everyday life feels harder than it seems to for everyone else.

Chronic Illness & Chronic Pain

Chronic illness doesn't just affect your body. It can change the way you see yourself, your relationships, your sense of safety, and what you're able to do from one day to the next.

Many of the people I work with are used to pushing through flares, minimizing symptoms, over-explaining themselves, or over-functioning just to keep up. Together, we'll slow down, make sense of those patterns, and explore what it looks like to live in a way that works with your body instead of constantly fighting against it.

Therapy is a space to process medical trauma, grieve the changes chronic illness can bring, and navigate the uncertainty of fluctuating symptoms and capacity. Most importantly, it's a place where your experience is believed, your symptoms are taken seriously, and you don't have to convince someone that what you're living with is real.

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