Samantha January, BA

Meet Samantha

(she, her, hers)

Samantha January (she/her) is a Master of Social Work candidate at Gallaudet University and currently serves as an intern for My Deaf Therapy (MDT). Samantha identifies as a deaf female passionate about mental health, with specific interests in anxiety, obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD), depression, chronic illness and trauma. Prior to pursuing her master's degree, Samantha was eager to dive into trauma research, curious about the diverse ways that trauma can impact the mind, body, and spirit. She has found that, as human beings, many of us struggle to heal from the past if these three things are misaligned. Thus, Samantha’s interest in learning about the body’s processing of trauma, how the nervous system comes into play, and how individuals can heal from within as opposed to having blind deference to generalized treatment plans and quick fixes has propelled forward. Samantha’s therapeutic approaches center on Cognitive Behavior Therapy (CBT), Exposure and Response Prevention (ERP), and somatic trauma work. Although Samantha traditionally follows a “bottom-up” somatic and sensory healing approach in terms of trauma release from the body, she is mindful of the “top-down” work which involves making sense of experiences while supporting individuals through the work to reframe thoughts. Her goal is to encourage long-term, sustainable changes in the thought patterns many of us struggle with. Samantha describes herself as personable and empathetic with an exceptionally calm, down-to-earth demeanor. She is someone who gets along well with her clients, facilitating a safe, validating environment. Samantha has experience working with individuals of all ages, including those who are elderly and in their final stages of life. Samantha is grateful to be a part of the MDT team and she looks forward to working together throughout your healing journey!

Samantha provides outpatient mental health services under the supervision of Melissa Healey, LCSW, and Shannon Shiver, LCSW within My Deaf Therapy’s intensive clinical training program.  

Samantha's pronouns are she/her/hers.