Samantha Baron, MA, PCA

(She/Her)

Hi, I’m Samantha (Sam).

Reaching out for help is hard. The fact that you’re here, reading this, already says something about your courage. I’m glad you found me. I believe therapy works best when it’s a real relationship, not a clinical exercise — a space where you can be honest about what’s weighing on you and actually be heard. I’ve walked my own hard road toward healing, so I don’t just believe the work is worth it. I know it.

I work with individuals (16 and up) and couples, offering a compassionate, collaborative space to explore patterns, communication, connection, and repair.

Individuals (16+): Whether you’re a teen sorting out identity and emotional overwhelm, or an adult trying to understand your own patterns, I bring curiosity instead of judgment. This is your process — I’m here to support it, not steer it.

Couples & partners: Whether you’re navigating conflict, rebuilding trust, or deepening intimacy, I work with you both to uncover shared goals and create new ways of relating that feel safe and sustainable. I’m trained in Levels 1 & 2 of the Gottman Method and use it as a foundation for most relational work. I’m affirming of all relationship structures, including but not limited to — monogamous, non-monogamous, and polyamorous.

I draw from Cognitive Behavior Therapy, Narrative Therapy, Solution-Focused Therapy, Acceptance and Commitment Therapy, Gottman Method, and IFS therapy. I love helping clients get to know their own internal “parts”: the ones that protect, the ones that carry old pain, and the ones that just want peace. Healing happens when those parts stop fighting each other.

Expect our first session to feel like a conversation, not an interview. We’ll figure out your goals together and build a plan from there I love to laugh with my clients, use humor when it helps, and most importantly, celebrate your progress, wins, and growth.

I’m a Professional Counselor Associate in Oregon, with a Master’s in Clinical Psychology from Pepperdine University (2024). My therapist career started in community mental health and equine assisted therapy. Before this career, I spent over a decade in specialty coffee and tea, and ran my own small fiber arts business. Both taught me things no textbook could — about resilience, patience, and what real connection looks like.

Outside of work, you’ll usually find me trail running or camping somewhere in the Pacific Northwest, cheering on the Thorns, Fire & Blazers, reading a book, watching the occasional reality tv show, or getting bossed around by my two cats, Princess Bubblegum and Marceline.

As I am still working towards licensure, I am being supervised by Mohini Bolkhovitinov, LCSW.

In-person and teletherapy. I work with ages 16 and up.

Not accepting PacificSource.

(503) 305-4090 in the NE office
(503) 286-7909 fax

samantha@energymatterspdx.com

Email contact preferred

Issues Treated

Treatment Techniques and Approaches