Samantha Whelan

Samantha Whelan is a Licensed Professional Counselor based in Oklahoma with 14 years of clinical experience. She maintains state licensure as a professional counselor in Alabama and Arizona and has continued professional development throughout her career.

She took a planned sabbatical to raise her two children while keeping up with continuing education, and she says the daily realities of family life deepened her understanding of the personal struggles people face beyond what textbooks can convey. That period reinforced her appreciation for practical, real-world approaches to growth and healing.

Throughout her career Samantha has worked extensively with individuals and groups, offering support to those navigating addiction and a range of mental health challenges. The bio-psycho-social complexity of addiction led her to address many interconnected issues - social, emotional, spiritual, physical, legal, familial, and financial - as part of comprehensive care.

Her therapeutic approach blends cognitive behavioral therapy, behavioral theory, motivational interviewing, and client-centered methods. These evidence-informed styles help her collaborate with clients to build skills, receive practical feedback, and apply tools learned in sessions to daily life.

Samantha also draws on her own experience of having sought counseling, which gave her insight into what it feels like to be on the other side of the desk and the value of being heard and validated. She believes change occurs along a continuum, and that identifying where a person stands on that continuum is often a useful starting point. Change takes time, and her aim is to work with clients to clarify what they want to improve and which behavior changes will support their goals in a safe, confidential setting. She emphasizes that the client’s goals drive the work and looks forward to supporting people through their personal and relational challenges.