Hey there, I’m Dr. Samantha Hellberg.
About Me
I am a licensed clinical psychologist in Washington and able to see clients in PSYPACT states. In my practice, I provide individual therapy as well as training and consultation for therapists. I have expertise in reproductive/perinatal mental health, trauma and stress, and emotional distress (e.g., anxiety, OCD, emotion dysregulation). In addition to my work at Root & Bloom, I work part time as the Associate Director of the Marsha M. Linehan DBT Clinic at the University of Washington.
I strive to provide personalized, culturally-responsive, and research-backed services. My general orientation is cognitive-behavioral and my approach is emotion-focused, trauma-informed, and relationally-oriented. I am committed to understanding each client’s goals and concerns in the context of their unique identity, history, values, and context, and tailoring my use of evidence-based interventions accordingly. I know that the relationship between client and therapist can impact the effectiveness of care. In therapy, I work with clients to build trust, create a safe environment, and address patterns as they show up in and outside of our work.
Over the past seven years, I have gained experience providing evidence-based treatments in range of clinical settings, including outpatient, intensive outpatient (IOP), and inpatient programs. I have completed extensive training in cognitive-behavioral and acceptance therapies, including Exposure and Response Prevention (ERP), Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT), Integrative Behavioral Couples Therapy (IBCT), Prolonged Exposure (PE), and Cognitive Processing Therapy (CPT). I also have completed intensive training in Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT) and the DBT Prolonged Exposure (DBT PE) protocol for PTSD, and a DBT Fellowship with Dr. Melanie Harned–the creator of DBT PE.
Throughout my doctorate, I gained extensive clinical and research experience in reproductive mental health at the UNC Center for Women’s Mood Disorders. I provided assessment and treatment for perinatal, premenstrual, and perimenopausal mental health concerns, and developed expertise in perinatal anxiety, OCD, trauma/PTSD, grief, and emotion regulation. I have received grant funding, authored book chapters, and published peer-reviewed research articles, and currently offer educational trainings in these areas.
I deeply value the integration of research and clinical practice and ultimately, my goal is to help increase access to high-quality, effective, and compassionate care. I am passionate about supporting mental health trainees and providers, and offering trainings for clinicians and the community. Learn more about my services and practice values here.
My Education
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I completed a 1 year fellowship in Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT) under the mentorship of Dr. Melanie Harned, the creator of the DBT Prolonged Exposure (DBT PE) protocol for PTSD. During my fellowship, I received advanced training and supervision in DBT and DBT PE, while contributing to clinician education, consultation, and research efforts at the Seattle VA.
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I completed my 1 year Predoctoral Internship in Clinical Psychology at the Seattle VA. During internship, I received advanced training and supervision, with an emphasis on couples therapy, trauma-focused treatment, intensive outpatient services, and Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT).
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I completed my Masters and PhD in Clinical Psychology at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill under the mentorship of Dr. Jonathan Abramowitz, where my training emphasized research and clinical care for anxiety, trauma, and obsessive-compulsive related conditions. Throughout my training, I also completed research and clinical training in reproductive mental health with the UNC Center for Women’s Mood Disorders, under the mentorship of Drs. Crystal Schiller and Tiffany Hopkins.
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For two years, I served as the Program Coordinator for the Massachusetts General Hospital (MGH) Center for Anxiety & Traumatic Stress Disorders (CATSD) and Complicated and Grief Program.
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I began my training in psychology at Wesleyan University, where I graduated with University Honors and High Honors in Psychology.
Selected Trainings & Certifications
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40-Hour Foundational Training in Dialectical Behavioral Therapy
Behavioral Tech; Katie Dixon-Gordon, PhD & Sami Saghafi, PsyD
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4-Day DBT-Prolonged Exposure (DBT PE) for PTSD Intensive
Melanie Harned, PhD, & Annie McCall, MA
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3-Day Getting to Adherence in Dialectical Behavior Therapy Workshop
Melanie Harned, PhD & Sara Schmidt, PhD
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Assessing and Treating Race-Based Traumatic Invalidation
Melanie Harned, PhD & Natalia Garcia, PhD
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Troubleshooting Lack of Improvement in DBT PE
Melanie Harned, PhD
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Prolonged Grief Disorder Therapy Principles & Procedure
The Center for Prolonged Grief; M. Katherine Shear, MD & Danielle Glorioso, LCSW
Authored Book Chapters
“Trauma & PTSD in the Perinatal Period” in Women’s Mood Disorders.
“Phenomenology of Perinatal OCD” in Biomarkers of Postpartum Psychiatric Disorders
“From OC Spectrum to Anxiety Disorders” in Clinical Handbook of Anxiety Disorders
“Inhibitory Learning Approach to Exposure and Response Prevention for OCD” and “Couple-Based Cognitive Behavioral Therapy for OCD” in Complexities in Obsessive-Compulsive Related Disorders
“Scrupulosity” in Advanced Casebook of Obsessive-Compulsive and Related Disorders
Research Contributions
I am passionate about the role of research in improving mental health care. I have authored over 30 peer-reviewed journal articles, contributed to over 80 presentations at professional conferences, and been involved in clinical research on dialectical behavior therapy (DBT), reproductive mental health, anxiety, trauma, grief, OCD, and suicide.
Here are a few recent examples of my work:
Hellberg S. N., Bruening A., Thompson K., & Hopkins. T. A. (2024). Applications of dialectical behavior therapy in the perinatal period: A scoping review. Clinical Psychology & Psychotherapy.
Riddle, J., Hopkins, T. A., Yeaton-Massey, A., & Hellberg, S. N. (2023). No Baby to Bring Home: Perinatal Loss, Infertility, and Mental Illness: Overview and Recommendations for Care. Current Psychiatry Reports.
Hellberg S. N./Coleman, J., Hopkins T. A., Thompson K., Bruening A., & Potter S. (2023). Understanding the multilevel effects of reproductive coercion on mental and physical health: an ecological model to guide research, clinical practice, and policy. Journal of Trauma & Dissociation.
Swales, D. A., Hellberg, S. N., Hopkins, T. A., & Schiller, C. E. (2023). Hiding in plain sight: Assessment and treatment of irritable mood during pregnancy and the postpartum period. Journal of Health Service Psychology.
Hellberg S. N., Lundegard, L., Hopkins, T. A., Thompson, K., Kang M., Morris T., & Schiller, C. E. (2023). Psychological distress and treatment preferences among parents during the COVID-19 pandemic. Psychiatry Research Communications.
Hopkins, T. & Hellberg, S. N. (2022). Assessing and Treating PTSD from Obstetrical and Neonatal Traumas: A Case Series. Journal for Prenatal and Perinatal Psychology & Health.
