Meet the Team

Miriam Duston
LCSW

Sammy Faulkender
LCSW

MIRIAM

Hi, I’m a therapist and an artist.

I believe we heal through connection and creativity. My role is to create a space where you can be fully yourself, make sense of what’s going on, and find a way forward at your own pace. My approach is collaborative, compassionate, and real. I bring years of experience and training, but what matters most is that you feel safe, understood, and supported. My clients often say therapy with me feels grounding, creative, and like a place where they can finally exhale.

I live in Sacramento (Bay Area born and raised), and outside of work, you’ll usually find me in the garden, swimming, making things with my hands, walking my dog, or spending time with my people.

Miriam may be a good fit for you if you are …

  • Creative, queer, or neurodivergent

  • A high-functioning perfectionist

  • Someone who feels like an outsider

  • Having complicated feelings about your body

  • Open to the idea of art in sessions

  • A therapy first-timer

  • Would like in-person sessions or need an after-school or after-work session time

  • Are looking for couples or art therapy

SAMMY

Hi, I’m a therapist and a mom.

My goal is to create a supportive, non-judgmental space where you can slow down, reconnect with yourself, and make sense of what feels overwhelming or out of sync. I take a warm, collaborative approach shaped by both my professional training and my own lived experience with anxiety and parenthood. My work is grounded in an integrative, holistic framework, and I’m trained in Trauma-Focused CBT and certified in PC-CARE through UC Davis.

I grew up in Sacramento and, after spending time in San Luis Obispo, San Francisco, and Portland, returned home in 2017. Outside the therapy room, you’ll usually find me reading, cooking, or chasing after my twin daughters.

Sammy may be a good fit for you if you are …

  • Someone who is really hard on themselves

  • Trying to understand yourself better

  • An adolescent or teen who wants someone other than their parent to talk to

  • Pregnant, postpartum, or trying to conceive

  • A parent hoping to learn new parenting strategies

  • Someone who prefers telehealth

  • Looking for a morning or mid-day appointment time

  • In need a therapist who won’t mind if you are holding, feeding, or tending to your baby or young kids during session