About Us

Beyond Words Emotional Health Services, LLC and Sam Payne, Psy.D. & Associates, PLLC were founded in 2026 by Dr. Sam Payne, a Licensed Clinical Psychologist and end-of-life doula. He created this unusual combination practice in acknowledgement of the pervasiveness of death anxiety in everyday challenges and problems. After years of providing psychotherapy and pursuing his own deep interest in the subject of death, he finally decided to “walk the talk” of what he had learned.

He aims to build a network of support and resources, and to encourage others to live their best lives in the ways that are most accessible to them, whether engaging in death-related services or not!

—

Why two names? Beyond Words Emotional Health Services, LLC and Sam Payne, Psy.D. & Associates, PLLC were founded as separate business entities in accordance with legal requirements for clinical psychology services (PLLC) and other services (LLC).

Mission & Values

Beyond Words Emotional Health Services, LLC is a private practice that provides psychotherapy and other services geared toward empowering people to live more fully, intentionally, and authentically. Beyond Words is guided by the philosophy that life is made more meaningful through recognition of its impermanent and unpredictable nature, and that this is not inherently negative.

This practice exists with the aim to provide thoughtful, personalized services for life and beyond to people from all walks of life, identities, and experiences.

Explicitly, Beyond Words stands for the following:

  • authenticity

  • integrity

  • compassion, empathy

  • empowerment

  • inclusion, equity

  • community, collaboration

  • respect for all life

  • environmental consciousness and sustainability

Dr. Sam Payne is a licensed clinical psychologist with Illinois and PSYPACT credentials. His specialties include working with individuals, families, and couples/partners. Experiences and presentations he works with include, but are not limited to: depression/other mood disorders, anxiety disorders, relational difficulties, 2SLGBTQIAA+ populations, neurodivergent individuals (autism, ADHD, and more), and those who have experienced trauma. In working with clients, Sam gathers the context of the person (such as environmental, societal, historical, and social factors) with the aim of understanding the client’s experiences as clearly as possible. He strives to incorporate an intersectional, validating, body-positive, sex-positive, and kink-positive approach to working with clients. He believes that a safe and empathic environment is one in which a client feels empowered and seen, resulting in a basis for movement towards self-actualization, individuation, and personal success.

Sam has years of experience in conducting neuropsychological, academic, emotional/personality, and autism testing in prior clinical settings. Over the course of his career, he has developed testing/assessment services, and developed and managed a psychodiagnostic doctoral practicum, and provided supervision to numerous trainees and pre-licensed professionals. He has a longstanding history of professional presentations on specialized topics such as gender and sexual diversity, neurodiversity (autism, ADHD, 2E individuals, and more), assessment, death/grief/loss, and deconstructing Whiteness in psychology. In addition to a diverse array of professional experience, Sam completed the Exploring Psychoanalysis fellowship with the Chicago Psychoanalytic Institute to build upon his psychodynamic and psychoanalytic knowledge base and therapeutic experience. Dr. Payne is also trained in the usage of EMDR for various symptoms most notably associated with trauma.

On a personal note, Sam is passionate about nature, community, art, and discussing life and death (yes, even in his personal life). He enjoys hiking, cooking, roller skating, drawing, music, and spoiling his cat.

Sam can be reached at spayne@beyondwordsehs.com or 872-228-1108.

Meet the Founder: Sam Payne, Psy.D. (he/him)

Definitions of Roles & Services

Psychologist

Psychologists hold a doctorate degree (Psy.D. or Ph.D.), specific additional training (i.e. internships), and licensure in their state of practice. Some psychologists hold an additional credential through PSYPACT that allows them to virtually meet with clients residing in most U.S. states. Psychologists are trained therapists and providers of psychological assessments. They can use a variety of approaches (theoretical orientations) in how they do therapy, and are able to provide their clients with clinical diagnoses through thorough investigation of symptoms and experiences. Some are able to accept insurance policies for their services, while others do not.

While some psychologists pursue further education to obtain limited prescribing privileges, most are not prescribers. Psychiatrists (M.D. degree) and other medical providers are typically the way that people are prescribed medications.

End-of-Life Doula

An end-of-life (EOL) doula, death doula, death coach, death worker, thanadoula, death midwife, end-of-life specialist, deathwalker…the list of titles goes on and on. Their skillset and services provided are even more varied. They may work with dying people, pets, or solely those mourning death. Some provide bedside comfort for those actively dying, others in documenting legacy and wishes, and others still in community advocacy and education on death-related topics. There are EOL doulas who plan vigils, rituals, and celebrations of life, sometimes even before the individual has died.

One of the most important defining features of this role is that the care and service provided is non-medical, non-judgmental advocate. They are not therapists, though they provide crucial emotional support. Their services are typically paid for out-of-pocket.

Contact Us

For new or prospective clients, please complete this form to request a free, 15-minute consultation with us to help address any questions or concerns you have.

If you are reaching out regarding other services, you may also use this form.