- Emotion-focused work
- ACT and CBT tools
- Grief and life changes
About Samantha
Samantha Lai is a Licensed Clinical Social Worker (LCSW) practicing in California with four years of clinical experience. She works with people facing stress, anxiety, relationship strain, grief, depression, and major life changes. Samantha uses a mix of practical talk and emotion-focused work to help people understand what keeps them stuck and how to move forward.
She draws on Emotionally-Focused Therapy alongside Acceptance and Commitment Therapy, attachment-informed ideas, client-centered listening, and cognitive behavioral strategies. In sessions she helps people notice patterns in thoughts, feelings, and relationships. She also teaches simple skills for managing intense feelings and for clearer thinking under pressure.
Samantha keeps sessions focused on real situations people face day to day. Conversations look at current problems, past patterns that still matter, and small behavior changes that bring relief. She helps clients try new responses to difficult emotions and then checks what works or needs adjusting.
People meet practical tools and reflective conversation in the same session. Samantha emphasizes strengthening emotional awareness and recognizing interaction habits that reinforce anxiety or low mood. Over time she supports building clearer personal boundaries and steadier reactions to stress.
If a caller wants to begin, the first steps are completing a brief matching questionnaire and scheduling a session. Costs vary by location and use a cancelable subscription model.
How her approaches translate to online work
Emotionally-Focused Therapy helps name and work with strong emotions and attachment patterns. It is useful when someone notices repeated emotional reactions that keep relationships strained or leave them feeling overwhelmed. Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT) uses simple exercises to clarify values and build small, practical actions toward them. ACT often helps with anxiety, depression, and transitions by focusing on what matters most and on steps to move in that direction.Finding the right approach is part of the work. Samantha collaborates with each person to choose which methods fit their needs and goals. She will check in about what feels helpful and adjust the mix of EFT, ACT, and cognitive strategies over time so sessions stay relevant and practical.
Confirm current session options before booking, as formats are not listed here. Online therapy can make it easier to fit sessions into a busy week, reduce travel time, and allow shorter check-ins or longer appointments when needed. It can also help people try emotion-focused work from a familiar setting while using straightforward skills and real-life practice between sessions.
Areas of expertise
Primary focus
Therapeutic approaches
Experience
4+ years
Listed in
California
Languages
English
Frequently asked questions
What concerns does she focus on?
She works with stress, anxiety, relationship strain, grief, depression, and coping with life changes.
What therapeutic approach does she use?
Her stated approaches include Emotionally-Focused Therapy (EFT), Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT), attachment-based methods, client-centered therapy, and cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT).
How much clinical experience does she have?
She has four years of experience as a clinician working with the listed concerns.
What are her credentials and where does she practice?
She is a CA LCSW and practices in California.
Which languages are supported?
Sessions are offered in English.
Can international clients book sessions?
She is not currently accepting international clients.
How are sessions paid for?
Session cost varies with location and uses a subscription that can be canceled at any time.
How do I begin working with her?
Select the See online therapy options button, complete a short matching questionnaire, and schedule the first session.
Profile details come from information the therapist supplied to BetterHelp. Credential and registration rules differ between the United States, the United Kingdom and Australia.