Sam Wilkinson, LMSW

Therapist

Pronouns: they/them/theirs, she/her/hers

I believe who you are matters. You’re a deep feeler, a critical thinker, & someone who’s carried a lot for a long time. Perhaps you are the “black sheep”, someone who has felt unseen, unheard, or unworthy for most of your life. You’ve learned how to keep going, but lately, you’re exhausted. You’re realizing that surviving isn’t enough anymore. You might be navigating anxiety, burnout, dissociation, grief, identity transitions, or complex trauma. You may feel stuck in cycles of self-abandonment, masking, or perfectionism. You want to feel safe in your body, connected to your truth, & be free to live more fully - not just function.

About Sam

What I bring to this work is shaped as much by my own life as by my training. I live with chronic illness and neurodiversity, so the daily work of balancing physical and mental health isn't theoretical for me. I know from the inside what it's like to feel unseen or unsupported for being who you are. I'm queer, genderfluid, and neurodivergent; disabled; white and Puerto Rican. After ten years living and building relationships in polyamorous, kink and BDSM, and sex work communities, that familiarity comes with me into the room, so those parts of your life don't have to be explained or defended here. I practice cultural humility, which to me means staying curious about your world instead of assuming I already understand it. The values I hold in this work are ones I'm practicing in my own life too, as part of my ongoing growth.

When I'm not working, you'll usually find me somewhere in the Grand Line or Middle-earth (One Piece and Lord of the Rings both have my whole heart), at a show chasing something upbeat and loud, or being thoroughly outnumbered by my five cats and dogs. I think joy is part of the work, not a reward for finishing it, and I take mine fairly seriously.

Working with Sam

You're looking for a therapist who is trauma-informed, LGBTQ+ affirming, and attuned to what it takes to navigate systems that weren't built for you. You want support that's holistic, anti-oppressive, and rooted in nervous system regulation, attachment work, and real respect for your autonomy. I work from a trauma-informed, shame-sensitive, and strengths-based lens, drawing on your values, your lived experiences, and your inner resilience to co-create a path toward healing that's sustainable, liberating, and true to you. This is depth-oriented work that goes beyond symptom management: breaking out of survival mode, healing from internalized shame and systemic harm, and reconnecting with safety, authenticity, and agency. I don't pathologize pain. I witness it, I hold space for it, and I help people transform it, in a space that honors your complexity and lets you slow down, process, and rebuild on your own terms. You don't have to do this alone anymore.

My care is affirming, feminist, and explicitly anti-oppressive: HAES and fat-affirming, sex work affirming, anti-racist, anti-colonial, anti-capitalist, and anti-carceral. My style is laid back, collaborative, and real. I'll ask thoughtful questions, offer honest feedback, and help you find solutions that actually fit your life. If you want hands-on support, I'll sit with you while we send the email, make the call, or figure out your next step. We can use what already resonates with you, whether that's music, pop culture, spirituality, or creative practice, an approach sometimes called geek therapy. I also offer non-traditional options like activity and movement-based sessions and pet therapy when those feel more natural to you.

Specialty

I work with adolescents, young adults, and the young at heart who are moving through fear, shame, uncertainty, and becoming who they want to be. My areas of focus include:

  • Gender

  • Sexuality

  • Polyamory

  • Consensual non-monogamy

  • Kink and BDSM

  • Affirming care for LGBTQ+, trans and gender-nonconforming (TGNC)

  • Sex-working clients

  • CPTSD

  • PTSD

  • Interpersonal and/or Generational Trauma

  • Supporting survivors of intimate partner (domestic) violence

  • Childhood family violence

  • Adult and childhood sexual abuse

  • Military sexual trauma

  • Image-based abuse (revenge porn)

  • Anxiety

  • Stress

  • Depression

  • Self-esteem issues

  • Relationship Issues and conflict

  • Pain and Illness

Education, Training, and Certifications

Master of Social Work, Stony Brook University School of Social Welfare

Master of Science in Applied Positive Psychology (in progress), University of East London

Clinical trainings in: Trauma-Focused Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (TF-CBT), Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing Therapy (EMDR), Psychobiological Approach to Couples Therapy (PACT) Level 1

Additional certifications: INELDA-certified End of Life (Death) Doula, YogaBody Certified Breath Coach, New York State Certified Rape Crisis Counselor, Sex Work Affirming Provider Equitable Care Certification (Zepp Wellness), and Center for Nonviolent Communication II T Certificate

Ready to get started?

Reach out and schedule with Sam today.

Schedule