Current job title: Clinical Supervisor – Military OneSource
Tell us what brought you to Pearl and what skills did you picked up in each of your previous roles that helped get you to your current role? My coming to Pearl was an easy decision. Pearl offers flexibility, the ability to work from home, a team environment that is supportive, and it provides me the opportunity to utilize my clinical skills to help service members and their families. Working in the counseling and social work field for over thirty years continues to be extremely rewarding and has prepared me to continue helping those who face difficult challenges, not just individually, but as a family and a community.
What are your career goals? My job aspirations will always be to continue to serve others by utilizing my education, experience, and clinical knowledge to help others realize their full potential.
What has been the biggest lesson you have learned or the biggest obstacle you have overcome in your job? The biggest lesson I have learned throughout my career is there is always something new to learn or some new challenge to face but seeing someone succeed is extraordinary.
What is your advice for someone that may be interested in pursuing a role in your current field? One of the most difficult things most of us face in beginning our career and throughout is accepting the fact that an individual must want positive change and be motivated to do the work. As a leader, who can also sometimes be a therapist or counselor, we cannot take on the task for someone else. We can only begin by offering to help them begin their own path while offering them tools, support, and encouragement throughout their journey.
What is a Fun Fact that many of your coworkers may not know? A fun fact that many do not know about me is one of the reasons why I became a therapist. Typically, the name “Samantha” is spelled with an “n.” You will notice that my name is missing that “n”. Having your name spelled incorrectly on your birth certificate, your parent’s unwillingness to have it corrected, the cost to change it (a ridiculous amount), and not receiving stars on my elementary school papers because the teachers believed I could not spell my name was truly a trauma, but lead to a very rewarding career.
Do you have a special talent or any hobbies? Taking time for self-care is so very important and I absolutely love to read, color, and travel with my family.