As a freelance coach for Whole Skills Coaching, I leverage over two decades of experience in clinical psychology, including advanced training at Duke University Medical Center and my founding of Durham DBT, Inc. I am dedicated to teaching and coaching skills to anyone willing to learn and practice.

Beyond my intensive DBT background, mindfulness is at the core of everything I teach—and live. As a certified mindfulness instructor under Jack Kornfield and Tara Brach, I've seen firsthand how these practices unlock potential.

For 20 years, my partnership with Martha has been instrumental, as we've co-taught and coached skills weekly to thousands of young adults, witnessing profound shifts in emotional well-being. I wholeheartedly believe in Martha's vision for Whole Skills Coaching: to provide accessible, transformative tools far beyond traditional therapy. This is a vital, responsive initiative designed to help everyone become more effective and skilled in life.

Testimonials

“Martha and Sammy have a good working dynamic when teaching Skills. They complement each other very well. Martha excels in introducing and teaching Skills, and Sammy is good about relating Skills to real life situations.” - Anj.K.

“Martha stands out in how approachable and personable she is. Her humor, rapport, and lack of judgment make the Skills classes always feel welcoming. Martha’s knowledge and real-world examples of the application of Skills make the material easy to understand and implement. Sammy excels in prompting reflection and curating a safe space for the group classes. He holds people accountable empathetically and non-judgmental way. His examples of problem-solving and application of the Skills are memorable and comprehensive.” - A.E.

“Sammy says very wise things, is very thoughtful, and gives a balanced perspective. Martha leads with her strong empathy,  outgoing and friendly nature, self-disclosing strategically, and teaching skills in a way that makes them memorable and understandable.” -J.H.

“Martha’s greatest strength is her empathy and words of understanding and affirmation. I always feel validated after sharing. Sammy’s best asset is his relatability. He always connects to his own experiences in a way that provides normalization.” - E.S. 

“I am forever grateful to Martha Golden for teaching me these Skills because it has literally saved my life! She has such a passion for teaching Skills and does it with immense compassion and empathy and humor.” -J.M.

“Sammy is really validating, funny, and keeps things light, and Martha has such a comforting & validating manner.” -T.W. 

“Both Martha & Sammy are good at giving examples of how they use skills in their own lives. They are both very understanding and caring. They both lead class class in a way that makes it interesting.” -A.K.             

“Sammy and Martha together as a team are absolutely incredible -  they work together in a yin and yang balance. I cannot speak more highly of the two of them, there is not a better team.” -G.D.