About Tomas

Life is hard — but you don’t have to resign yourself to a life half-lived. By working together, you can learn the kind of practical life skills that actually help you deal with what you’re facing: the things you can control, and the things you can’t.

I specialize in Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT) — an approach that’s all about focusing on what you can control in your life, while finding healthier ways to deal with the stress that comes from everything you can’t. I believe your values play a huge part in living a life that’s not just successful, but meaningful. So I want to help you figure out what your values actually are — and then find more ways to live in line with them, because that’s something you really can control.

When it comes to dealing with the things you can’t control, there are a lot of scientifically proven strategies from ACT that can help you learn how to self-regulate and calm down in the moment, get some distance from your own negative thoughts and feelings, and refocus on what really matters to you. I’ve spent the last 9 years teaching people those skills — and watching their lives improve.

I became a therapist because I’ve lived it. As a teenager and young adult I struggled with social anxiety and depression, and I know firsthand how heavy that weight can be. I also spent two years as a substitute teacher in Denver Public Schools while completing my Master’s in Clinical Mental Health Counseling — which gave me a real, ground-level understanding of what young people face today. I also work with adult men navigating Autism and ADHD, helping with executive functioning, self-understanding, and building a life that fits how your brain actually works.

If you’re willing to be open-minded and explore what decades of research have shown us about what actually works — and what doesn’t — when it comes to living in line with your values, I am confident I can help you live a more meaningful life.

I am LGBTQIA+ affirming and welcome clients of all identities and orientations. This is a safe space.

What to Expect

Sessions are direct, practical, and focused on what actually matters to you. No buzzwords, no endless processing — just tools that work. I see adolescents (15+) and adults. In Colorado I accept Kaiser Permanente, United Healthcare, Aetna, Cigna, Anthem Blue Cross Blue Shield, Carelon, and self-pay; in Minnesota, self-pay for now.

Hi, I’m Sammie.

Life rarely unfolds the way we planned.

Maybe you’ve spent your whole life being told you’re smart and capable, and you can’t understand why everyday life feels so hard. Maybe it’s your ADHD or autism — or your kid’s, and you’re the one managing the IEP meetings, the therapies, and everyone’s opinions about your parenting. Maybe you’re carrying anxiety, postpartum depression, fertility grief, or a mental load no one else can see. Maybe you’re queer, or questioning, and want a therapist you don’t have to explain yourself to. Maybe you’re simply exhausted from being the person everyone else needs you to be.

Whatever brought you here — you don’t have to figure it out alone.

I provide telehealth therapy across Colorado and Minnesota for neurodivergent women and late-identified adults, overwhelmed parents (especially parents of neurodivergent kids), LGBTQIA+ and questioning adults, and older teens and young adults finding their footing. My approach is ACT-based, warm, and practical, and deeply rooted in the belief that there is nothing “wrong” with you. Together, we’ll work to better understand what’s getting in your way, build on your existing strengths, and create meaningful change that fits your real life — not someone else’s expectations.

A Little About Me

I became a therapist because I know what it feels like to struggle. I’ve navigated anxiety, postpartum depression, trauma, and unhealthy relationships in my own life. Those experiences don’t define me, but they do help me understand how isolating it can feel when you’re carrying something difficult and don’t know where to turn. Therapy gave me tools, perspective, and support — and it’s an honor to offer that same support to others.

Before co-founding Clarke Counseling LLC, I worked as a Special Education School Social Worker in Colorado Springs School District 11, where my team was recognized twice with the D11 SEAC Excellence in Inclusive Education Award. I’ve also worked as an outpatient therapist and spent years supporting individuals with Intellectual Disabilities and Down Syndrome — experiences that deepened my passion for neurodiversity-affirming care and my belief that every person deserves to be understood, respected, and supported exactly as they are.

Outside the office, I’m a mom of two little boys and someone who genuinely believes that time spent on the things that matter most is its own kind of medicine. I’m licensed in both Colorado and Minnesota, and our family now lives in Rochester, MN.

I am LGBTQIA+ affirming and welcome clients of all identities, backgrounds, and family structures. My goal is to create a space where you can show up authentically, explore challenges without judgment, and leave feeling more connected to yourself and the life you want to build.

I’m accepting new telehealth clients in both Colorado and Minnesota. If you’re a parent of a child with an IEP, I also offer parent consultation — evaluation and document review, meeting preparation, and help with what to ask — drawing on the years I spent on the school’s side of the table.

“I’m glad you’re here, and I’d be honored to walk alongside you.”