Today we’d like to introduce you to Samantha Goland.
Hi Samantha, it’s an honor to have you on the platform. Thanks for taking the time to share your story with us – to start maybe you can share some of your backstory with our readers?
I didn’t start out with a perfectly clear plan, but I was always drawn to people, stories, and service. During my undergraduate years, a professor encouraged me to explore social work at a time when I couldn’t yet see that path clearly for myself. Through courses like victimology and hands-on work in nonprofit settings, I began to understand how deeply systems, trauma, and support intersect, and how meaningful it felt to be present with people during some of their most difficult moments.
As I moved into graduate school, the work I was already drawn to began to take clearer shape. That training gave me the language and structure for understanding trauma, systems, and clinical care, while also reinforcing how much this work depends on presence, curiosity, and relationship rather than having all the answers.
After graduating, I continued forward with that same curiosity, learning through experience what it actually means to sit with others in complexity rather than rushing toward solutions. Over time, I became especially drawn to somatic and trauma-informed approaches, particularly when working with teens and women navigating anxiety, identity, and major life transitions. I found myself increasingly interested in helping people feel safe in their bodies and in relationship, not just functional on the surface.
That work eventually evolved into building Moonchild Counseling. I wanted to create a practice that felt warm, grounded, and human, one that moved away from rigid, checklist-driven models and instead prioritized presence, connection, and nervous system awareness. Alongside clinical work, I also began supervising clinicians outside of my practice, which has been especially meaningful because it allows me to support others in areas of social work I’ve personally walked through while continuing to learn from them as well.
Today, my work reflects an ongoing commitment to growth, community, and relational care. I’m continually shaped by the people I work with, clients, supervisees, and colleagues, and by the belief that healing and professional development don’t happen in isolation. The path hasn’t been linear, but it has been intentional, guided by curiosity, connection, and a desire to build spaces where people feel supported, seen, and less alone.
We all face challenges, but looking back would you describe it as a relatively smooth road?
It hasn’t been a smooth road, and I don’t think meaningful work ever is. One of the biggest challenges has been learning to trust my own pace in a field that often rewards urgency, productivity, and certainty. Early on, I felt the pressure to have everything figured out quickly, clinically, professionally, and personally, while doing work that actually requires patience, humility, and presence.
Building a practice also came with its own learning curve: navigating systems that aren’t always designed with sustainability or humanity in mind, learning how to set boundaries, and understanding that growth doesn’t always look linear. There were moments of self-doubt, exhaustion, and recalibration, but each challenge helped clarify what I value and how I want to show up.
Looking back, those struggles shaped my commitment to building work that feels grounded, relational, and aligned rather than rushed. They taught me that steadiness, reflection, and community matter just as much as momentum.
Thanks for sharing that. So, maybe next you can tell us a bit more about your business?
Moonchild Counseling is a therapy practice rooted in warmth, presence, and nervous system–informed care. The work is grounded in somatic and trauma-informed approaches, with a focus on supporting teens and women as they navigate anxiety, trauma, identity development, and major life transitions. At its core, the practice prioritizes depth, safety, and relationship over quick fixes or checklist-driven models.
What sets Moonchild Counseling apart is the way care is delivered. The practice is intentionally relational and human, creating space for clients to slow down, feel seen, and engage in meaningful work at a sustainable pace. There is a strong emphasis on helping people build awareness of their nervous systems, deepen their connection to themselves, and move toward healing in ways that feel embodied rather than purely cognitive.
In addition to clinical work, Moonchild Counseling is known for its commitment to community and professional development. Supervision is offered to Licensed Master Social Workers, providing thoughtful, experience-based mentorship that values collaboration, reflection, and growth. This work reflects a belief that both healing and professional longevity are supported through connection rather than isolation.
What I’m most proud of is that Moonchild Counseling has remained aligned with its values as it has grown. The practice has been built intentionally, to feel grounded, accessible, and deeply human, while honoring both clinical integrity and the lived experiences of the people it serves. I want readers to know that Moonchild Counseling is not just a place for therapy, but a space for connection, learning, and meaningful change.
Risk taking is a topic that people have widely differing views on – we’d love to hear your thoughts.
I don’t think of myself as a risk-taker in the traditional sense. I’m thoughtful and measured, and I tend to move with intention rather than impulse. That said, many of the most meaningful choices I’ve made have required stepping into uncertainty before I felt fully ready.
Starting and growing Moonchild Counseling was a significant risk. Choosing to build a practice that prioritizes depth, relational care, and sustainability, rather than speed or volume, meant trusting my values in a field that often rewards quick growth and productivity. There were moments where the outcome wasn’t guaranteed, but I felt clear that building something aligned mattered more than following a safer, more conventional path.
I’ve also taken risks by staying open to evolution, allowing my work, my practice, and my role to change as I’ve grown. That has meant letting go of what no longer fit, setting boundaries that felt uncomfortable at first, and trusting that steadiness can be just as powerful as boldness.
For me, risk isn’t about dramatic leaps. It’s about listening closely to what feels aligned, even when it’s uncertain, and choosing integrity over ease. That approach has shaped both my work and the way I move through life.
Pricing:
- Our services are private-pay and insurance-based, with fees varying based on the type of therapy and session length.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.moonchildcounseling.com/
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/moonchildcounseling/
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/moonchildcounseling
- LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/moonchild-counseling/
- Youtube: https://youtube.com/@moonchildcounseling
Image Credits
Honeysuckle Photography Co. & Tara Welch Photography
