THERAPY

for the Overthinkers and the Beautifully Different

Therapy Services for Anxiety, ADHD, and Relationships | The Black Sheep Sanctuary

"Helping Black Sheep Find Their Herd—One Session at a Time."

Welcome to The Black Sheep Sanctuary, where therapy isn’t about “fixing” you—it’s about helping you make sense of your beautifully messy, wonderfully weird, and sometimes chaotic life. We’re here for the overthinkers, the socially anxious, the “why am I like this?” crowd, and anyone who’s ever felt like they don’t quite fit in.

We believe that being different isn’t a flaw—it’s just you, being you. But let’s be real, sometimes figuring out “you” can feel overwhelming without a little guidance. That’s where we come in. Therapy with us isn’t stiff or clinical—it’s a conversation. Sometimes deep, sometimes hilarious, but always real. We show up as ourselves so you can too.

Whether you're navigating anxiety, ADHD, relationships, or just trying to function without wanting to scream into the void, we’ve got you. No judgment. No weird therapy head tilts. Just real talk, practical tools, a couple of “f-bombs”, and a safe space where you don’t have to filter yourself.

Welcome to the flock. You belong here.

WHO WE ARE


I work with people who are tired of feeling like they’re “too much,” “behind,” or somehow doing life wrong. If you’re anxious, burned out, neurospicy, or quietly questioning everything—and don’t need another person telling you to just try harder, let’s talk. Therapy with me is real, conversational, and focused on understanding why things feel hard so we can actually do something about it. No therapy theater, no jargon, no pretending you’re fine when you’re not. Just honest work, a little humor when it helps, and space to finally make sense of yourself.

samantha vanderplow

Hey, I'm Sam

I live with anxiety, ADHD, and panic disorder, so while I can’t fully know your experience (because I’m me and you’re you), I do get it—and I care deeply about understanding it. I don’t just study this stuff; I live with it, notice it, question it, and build my work around what actually helps in real life. I’m a total nerd about how the brain works and love spotting patterns (especially the “why does my brain keep doing this?” kind). Outside of sessions, there’s a good chance I’m playing Fortnite or talking about Fortnite, because sometimes regulation looks like dropping in, looting up, and letting your nervous system breathe.

WHY THE NAME BLACK SHEEP SANCTUARY?

feel different, be unique, be an outlier

“Here is some sappy, “cliché” stuff… To be honest, I’ve always struggled to find a place where I felt like I truly “fit.” For years, I tried to fit into the mold everyone told me I should—trying to change the things that made me me, only to realize that many of those things were impossible to change. I spent a lot of my childhood, teenage years, and early adulthood feeling frustrated and angry because I couldn’t meet everyone else’s expectations. The pressure to fit into this mold only made my insecurities worse and further heightened my own expectations of myself.

When I became a therapist, I thought I had finally found my place. But even then, I was still trying to fit into a “professional” mold—the one I was taught in school. And honestly? I was miserable, feeling like I had to be someone I wasn’t just to “succeed.”

The shift happened when I stopped applying artificial measurements to myself, eliminated objective definitions, and stopped judging myself based on the standards of everyone around me. I started embracing my quirks, accepting my flaws, and showing up as my authentic self. And let me tell you—freeing is an understatement. Life is lighter and happier when you accept yourself—quirks, flaws, and all—and let go of the detrimental self-loathing that comes with measuring yourself by other people’s standards.

At The Black Sheep Sanctuary, we embrace the "black sheep" mentality, rejecting the pressure to conform and embracing the freedom that comes with being your true self—whether that means you talk too much, think differently, or simply don’t fit into the neat little boxes society wants to put you in. And that’s why it’s called The Black Sheep Sanctuary.

If you’ve ever felt like the “black sheep” or like you don’t fit in, this is your place. We’re all black sheep here, and it’s wonderful. You don’t need to change to be accepted—you just need to be you. Be a black sheep."

-S