Samantha Alotta, LMSW
E. Setauket · Virtual Across NYHello, I'm Sam. Based in Long Island and powered by unapologetic black cat energy. I'm here for the deep work, the dark humor, and the quiet courage it takes to grow. If you're looking for a therapist who can hold space for the heavy stuff, meet you with honesty and compassion, and still laugh when it fits, you're in the right place.
Here's the thing. You've been carrying stories that were never yours to begin with. The ones that told you to stay small, not rock the boat, and keep it together no matter what.
I get that weight because I'm a human first and a therapist second. The stuff that feels easier to think about at midnight than say out loud in the middle of the day. That's exactly the kind of work I'm here for, the heavy, the messy, and the surprisingly funny parts too.
You weren't meant to carry all of this alone. Let's figure out whose baggage it actually is and give it back.
This Is Your Permission Slip.
My sessions are a space to slow down, go deep, and finally say the things that have been living in your chest for way too long. No rushing, no performing, no right way to show up. Just honest, grounded work at a pace that actually feels safe.
The heavy stuff finally has somewhere to land.
No more carrying it alone at midnight. We sit with it together, make sense of it, and figure out what's actually yours to keep.
The patterns start to make sense.
We connect how your past is showing up in your present, gently challenge what's no longer serving you, and build something different in its place.
You start giving the baggage back.
The stories, the weight, the things you inherited that were never yours to carry. We figure out whose they actually are and hand them back for good.
The Experience Behind the Work
I'm a Long Island based licensed Master Social Worker with a background that spans the full spectrum of human experience. I've worked on a mobile crisis team responding to crisis situations alongside law enforcement and directly with hospitals for CPEP, in inpatient children's psychiatric care, in geriatric and nursing home settings, and I currently work as a special education social worker. I've sat with people in their hardest, most acute moments and I don't flinch. I work with a trauma-informed, relational lens, which is a fancy way of saying I pay attention to the whole picture, not just the presenting problem. The dark humor, the midnight spirals, the stuff that feels too small to bring up but never quite goes away. I'm here for all of it.
I bring clinical thinking, genuine curiosity, and the kind of honesty that helps you actually move forward. You won't have to package yourself neatly for me. Show up exactly as you are and we'll figure out the rest together.
Who I Work With
I work with adults, women, teens, and professionals across Long Island and virtually across New York State. If you're navigating anxiety, trauma, depression, grief, relationship patterns, or a life transition that's left you feeling untethered, you're exactly who I had in mind. That includes Millennials stuck in a job they hate or in the thick of a career change and all the guilt that comes with questioning the path you've been on. And the grief that comes with choices that go against the grain, including the very valid, very real weight of choosing to remain child-free in a world that doesn't always make room for that.
How I Work
My approach is relational and grounded, which means we're not just talking about what's happening on the surface. I pull from CBT and Brief Strategic Therapy to give our work real direction and actionable tools, alongside Family Systems and Reality-Based approaches to understand how your patterns started and why they're still running. I lead with clinical thinking but I'm not rigid about it. We move at your pace, we sit with the heavy stuff as long as it needs, and we celebrate every win along the way, even the small ones. Especially the small ones.
Availability
I offer in-person sessions at The Nest's East Setauket office and virtually anywhere across New York State. I hold dedicated Thursday appointments for in-person sessions and have flexible virtual availability on weekday evenings, so there's a good chance we can find something that actually fits into your real life.
Education, Training & Licensure
Education
Masters of Social Work (MSW) · Stony Brook University
Bachelor of Arts (BA) in Psychology · Stony Brook University
Licensure
Licensed Master Social Worker (LMSW)
New York State, License, #120947
Trainings & Certifications
New York State Provisional School Social Worker
ABOUT ME
Outside the office you'll find me rewatching a film I've already seen just so I can analyze it better the second time around, adding another book to a "to be read" pile that is honestly more home decor at this point, or quietly recharging with my husband and our orange cat Lucky, who runs the household and has strong opinions about sleep being optional.
I married my high school sweetheart, went vegetarian after one too many pandemic documentaries (no regrets, cannot unsee it), and genuinely believe the best weekends are the ones with nowhere important to be. I like my life slow, intentional, and cat-approved.
I recharge quietly. Walks, video games, good food, and time with the people I love. No big plans, no packed schedules. Just the kind of stillness that actually fills you back up.
Let's see if we're the right fit.