Licensed Psychologist in Rhode Island
Meet Dr. Sam Gauvin
I am a licensed clinical psychologist in Rhode Island and offer online and in-person therapy to individuals located in the state. I conduct individual therapy most frequently with college students and other young adults. However, I also sometimes work with children, adolescents, and adults within my areas of focus. My areas of interest and specialization include: working with the LGBTQIA+ community, and exploring other intersecting aspects of identity, culture, and experiences of prejudice and oppression, anxiety, depression, trauma, perfectionism, self-esteem issues, identity development, and relationship issues,. I work to ensure that therapy is tailored to the needs of each client by incorporating evidence-based practices such as Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT), mindfulness, and trauma-informed approaches into a Humanistic foundation that uses a warm, collaborative, supportive, and nonjudgmental approach.
My Background
I earned my Psy.D. in Clinical Psychology at Wright State University’s School of Professional Psychology and received additional training during my predoctoral internship in the Counseling Center at Bowling Green State University in Bowling Green, Ohio. I completed an APA-accredited postdoctoral fellowship at Boston College within their Counseling Center.
I have conducted and presented research on child, adolescent, and young adult mental health, including risk and protective factors, gender-affirming healthcare and forensic treatment, and media representation and prejudicial attitudes at national conferences and to local providers across multiple disciplines. I also engage in social justice work and related educational opportunities in clinical and non-clinical settings regarding a number of intersecting identity variables including, but not limited to: gender, sexual, and romantic diversity; ability status; race and ethnicity; religion; and socioeconomic status.
My Approach & Philosophy
I work hard to create and maintain a warm, supportive, affirming, and nonjudgmental environment in which clients can be open and more confidently explore parts of themselves and their lived experiences. I believe that this is a key foundational piece that helps people to explore all of the varied parts of themselves, without as many of the filters that often influence our daily lives and self-expression. I also view my clients as the expert in their own experiences. As such, learning more about their values, strengths, concerns, goals, and greater life context helps me to work with my clients to identify why certain challenges may be present, how they impact the client’s life, and how they can be better addressed.
Aside from the client’s specific goals, the greater goal of therapy often becomes pursuing a version of the client’s life that they are more content with or fulfilled by, whether that is focused on one specific change or a longer-term goal of self-growth and healing. It is important to me that clients feel engaged in this process and that therapy feels as if it is best suited for what they need at this point in time. Clients have described me as someone who is warm, easy to talk to, and a good listener, whose use of humor, affirmation, education and authenticity make it easier to use therapy as a place for honest exploration and vulnerability. I would love to talk with you further and answer any questions you may have about my work, and I look forward to the possibility of working with you in the future!
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