A Bit About Me

I am an Executive Functioning Coach who works with children, adolescents, and young adults. Prior to relocating to Virginia, I provided services to students in California and New York. I am passionate about supporting neurodivergent individuals and specialize in working with ADHD and Autistic students. I also have experience supporting students with learning differences including dyslexia and dysgraphia, speech disorders, and traumatic brain injuries. I tailor my sessions to best fit each individual client and start from a place of connection and validation. I love learning about my client’s interests and passions to create a positive, trusting relationship, help manage anxiety, and support self-regulation. We set goals together and manage expectations for what progress means for each person. I believe in the importance of candid discussion of differences and challenges, strengths-based approaches, and celebrating each success as we work toward our larger goals. I work collaboratively with parents and provide strategies to implement at home to reinforce what we learn in session.

Samara Shanker, M.A., M.S.

My Clinical Practice Areas

  • Executive Functioning
  • Autism
  • ADHD
  • Learning Differences
  • Emotion Regulation
  • Organization, planning, and self-advocacy for college students

My Education & Training

I earned a bachelor’s degrees in psychology from Dartmouth College. I then earned master’s degrees in clinical psychology from Teachers College at Columbia University and the PGSP-Stanford PsyD Consortium. I have been working as an executive functioning coach since 2016 and providing academic support to neurodivergent students since 2014.

Where I Practice

I provide virtual coaching services to clients in all states and in-home services to clients in Northern Virginia and the Georgetown area.