About the Founder
HIPAA Compliance Expert for Mental Health Providers
Samantha Schalk, LMSW, CAADC, CIMHP, BCP3
Founder & Compliance Strategist, Guardian Clinical Essentials™
Protecting therapists, their licenses, and the practices they’ve worked hard to build.
A Therapist Who Knows What’s at Stake
With nearly 25 years in the mental health field, I’ve built, led, and protected therapy practices from the inside out. I currently have an in-person solo therapy practice and am the co-owner of a telehealth group therapy. I’ve been a field liaison, a clinical supervisor, a business coach, and a compliance strategist. I’ve worked at every level of the therapy field, and I know what it feels like to carry the weight of protecting your clients, your license, and your livelihood.
Credentials That Bridge Clinical Depth and Compliance Mastery
Licensed Master Social Worker (LMSW) with endorsements in both Clinical and Macro Practice
Certified Advanced Alcohol and Drug Counselor (CAADC)
Certified Integrative Mental Health Practitioner (CIMHP)
Belief Code Practitioner (BCP3)
Specialized in holistic treatment, trauma-informed care, somatic approaches, energy psychology, and cross-modality integration
Why I Built Guardian Clinical Essentials™
I’ve seen too many good therapists put their entire practice at risk because of rules they were never taught. In other words, it’s not that they didn’t care about compliance—they were just never given the full picture.
Most mental health providers are only shown the basics of HIPAA. But HIPAA is so much more. It’s an entire ecosystem of federal, state, and digital privacy laws that affect everything from your paperwork and policies to your website and email system. And those rules are always changing.
Most compliance tools out there are built for hospitals or law offices. As a result, they’re not made for therapy practices, and they definitely don’t speak our language.
I started Guardian Clinical Essentials™ to fix that. I make tools that are:
Built for therapists, not attorneys
Customized to your state and your scope of practice
Editable, understandable, and actually useful
Designed to reduce risk without burying you in busywork
Focused on clarity, not fear
I want you to feel protected, informed, and confident—not constantly worried you’re missing something.
I’ve Been in Every Seat at the Table
Over the years, I’ve worked in nearly every corner of the mental health world:
Direct care, crisis response, and long-term therapy
Clinical supervision for interns, provisional/limited, and licensed providers
Group practice development and operations
Medicaid billing and documentation systems
Compliance audits and legal investigations
Coaching and advising for other mental health professionals
I know the pressure of doing everything right when no one ever showed you how. I also know how important it is to have a trusted guide—someone who’s already been through it and can give you the tools that actually work.
A Protector at Heart
This isn’t just business for me. It’s personal.
I care deeply about protecting the people who protect others. Therapists shouldn’t have to choose between helping clients and staying legally safe. You deserve both.
My role is to build the systems that help you hold that line—to keep your license secure, your clients protected, and your practice steady.
Whether you’re a solo clinician, a group leader, or just
starting out, I’m here to help you get protected
and stay that way.
Therapist. Strategist. Advocate. Ally.
At the end of the day, I’m one of you.
I’ve been in the room when the system felt too big.
I’ve rewritten the policies that didn’t make sense.
I think ahead and act early.
I’ve helped therapists just like you reclaim peace of mind through clarity, tools, and solid guidance.
If you’re a provider trying to protect your license and your sanity, I’ve already seen the problem—and I’ve built the solution.
Let’s Protect Your Practice
Guardian Clinical Essentials™ offers practical, professional-grade tools built specifically for mental health providers:
Editable Federal HIPAA Compliance Manuals
State-Specific Legal Supplements
Self-Audit and Compliance Toolkits
HIPAA Website and Digital Privacy Evaluations
Professional Wills and Emergency Planning
State-Specific Business Associate Agreement Toolkits
