Close-up of Sam Sellers a woman smiling, wearing black-rimmed glasses and a white button-up shirt with a pearl button, with reddish-brown hair and a nose ring.

Hey, I’m Sam!

I’m a therapist, clinical supervisor and religious trauma survivor. Before you tell someone your story, it helps to know a bit about them, so here’s me.

If you grew up in a high-control group, you were probably expected to trust leaders without knowing much about them, or what gave them the right to “speak into your life”. Checking out your therapist first is a good instinct, and I’d encourage it. Read the bits that matter to you, skip the rest, and see whether I feel like someone you could talk to.

Reach Out Here
Two decorative pillows placed on a brown leather sofa with a brick wall in the background.

How I Work

A lot of us were taught that someone else knew best: the pastor, the elders, the leader, God’s plan. In therapy with me, you’re the one who knows your life best.

My work is trauma-focused and collaborative. I bring what I know about trauma, high-control groups and the nervous system, and you set the pace and the direction.

You can disagree with me, change your mind or tell me something isn’t working, and none of that will be held against you.

I’m direct, and I skip the jargon, both the church kind and the therapy kind. If I don’t know something, I’ll say so.

Sessions can be heavy, and they can also be very funny. If you need to laugh about purity rings or youth group skits, go for it.

Sam Sellers - A woman with dark brown hair, glasses, and earrings smiling while looking down, wearing a beige shirt with a collar and brown buttons.

Outside Of The Therapy Room

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Outside Of The Therapy Room 〰️

Plenty of us sat under leaders who seemed to have no life outside the stage. Here’s mine outside of the therapy room.

I’m queer and poly, wife to Chrissy, partner to Elise and dog mum to Naya. I’m also a religious trauma and conversion practices survivor. I’ve left a faith community and been rejected by my community, so you won’t need to explain to me why leaving was hard.

I’m ADHD, a highly sensitive person, Enneagram Type 4 and I have chronic fatigue. I feel everything deeply and need caffeine to function.

Things that make me happy:

  • LEGO

  • Cricket

  • Cult documentaries (occupational hazard)

  • Smutty Romance Novels

  • Musical theatre

  • Slow mornings

  • Reality TV, with no apologies

What matters to me

Humour

Some of what we were taught was ridiculous, and laughing about it can be a big part of recovery.

Authenticity

You won’t get a polished performance from me, and you don’t have to give one either.

Empathy

I’ll listen properly before anyone talks about fixing. You’ve probably had enough people trying to fix you.

Justice

What happened to you happened inside a system with real power. I’ll name that, so you can stop carrying the blame.

What I Work With

  • Religious trauma and spiritual abuse

  • Faith deconstruction

  • Leaving cults and high-control groups

  • Recovery from conversion practices

  • Queer identity after rejection

  • Recovery from purity culture and coercive control

  • Feeling safe in relationships

  • Reconnecting with your body and boundaries

  • Grief after leaving faith, community or family

  • Guilt, shame and fear of hell or punishment

  • Pastors’ kids, missionary kids and former leaders

  • Control and manipulation in wellness and spiritual communities

How I Work

  • Brainspotting. Works through trauma without you having to talk through every detail.

  • Polyvagal and nervous system-informed therapy. Understanding how your body responds to stress, and why.

  • Resource Therapy. Working with the different parts of you that want different things.

  • Attachment theory. How your early relationships shape the ones you have now.

  • Inner child work. Looking after the younger parts who missed out.

  • Psychoeducation. Plain explanations of what’s going on in your brain and body.

  • Gottman Method. A research-based approach for relationship therapy.

You don’t need to know what any of these are. I’ll explain as we go, and you can always ask why we’re doing something.

  • Here’s my training and the professional body I’m accountable to.

    • Registered with the Australian Counselling Association

    • Recognised Clinical Supervisor

    • Graduate Diploma of Counselling and Integrated Psychotherapy

    • Advanced Diploma of Counselling and Family Therapy

    • Diploma of Counselling

    • Certificate of Attainment in Professional Supervision

    • Ongoing training in trauma, cults, gender and sexuality, faith, power, systems and the body

Get in touch

Think we might be a good fit? Spots are limited, but get in touch and I’ll let you know what’s available. Asking questions before you book is completely fine.