Today we’d like to introduce you to Sam Cotton.
Sam, we appreciate you taking the time to share your story with us today. Where does your story begin?
I grew up in Central Illinois in a home impacted by substance use and trauma, experiences that shaped my resilience and my commitment to helping others. Despite early challenges, I graduated from high school, but due to my college entrance exam scores, I was accepted into Illinois State University through the High Potential Students program, where I majored in Criminal Justice Sciences and graduated with a 3.47 GPA.
I began my career in state corrections before moving into federal law enforcement, but I realized my true passion was helping people earlier—before lives and families were disrupted. I spent nine years in Job Corps, became a Licensed Clinical Social Worker in the military, and in 2022 started my private practice, Roche Noire Counseling & Consultation, PLLC. In 2024, I founded Men’s Walk N Talk, a weekly men’s walking group focused on movement, meaningful conversation, and mutual accountability in a judgment-free community.
Would you say it’s been a smooth road, and if not what are some of the biggest challenges you’ve faced along the way?
The road was rocky, and the struggle was real. My father was an alcoholic and had a wandering eye, which meant my brother and I witnessed significant family discord and trauma throughout our school years. I vividly remember every holiday starting as the best day of our lives—especially Christmas, when my parents would go all out. But inevitably, before the day ended, my dad would pick a fight with my mom, and arguments—sometimes physical—would last all night.
As a teenager, I also found myself in trouble with the law. The turning point came in August 1989, on the first day of a new school year, when I was arrested for aggravated battery following a fight. What made that day remarkable was the officer who arrested me treated me like a person—not a troubled kid or a criminal. While handcuffing me and taking me to jail, he began mentoring me. I recall him telling me what a good kid I was and how he couldn’t understand why I was acting out. He even pointed out how fortunate I was to have both my parents in the same home, unaware of the trauma I had witnessed my whole life. Still, his words were profound and life-changing.
It was sitting in that jail, waiting for someone to pick me up, that I made a decision: I wanted to work in law enforcement and help people the way he was trying to help me.
However, that school year became my worst yet. As much as I wanted to be the kind of person who helped others, I just couldn’t get it together. I tried, over and over, but I couldn’t stop being disruptive and fighting. Later, I realized I needed an outlet back then—I needed to be seen and heard. My home was chaotic, and despite my mother’s efforts, it felt like I wasn’t receiving the positive attention I craved. And so, as a kid with no voice, I learned that if I couldn’t get attention for being good, I could get it by acting out. Bad attention was still attention—and better than nothing at all. Unsurprisingly, that school year I drew all the wrong attention, including several school suspensions, before finally beginning to right the ship. For a long time, I felt invisible, unheard, and without a voice.
Alright, so let’s switch gears a bit and talk business. What should we know?
In 2022 I launched my private pay practice as a black male Licensed Clinical Social Worker in a field heavily dominated by females. I noticed there was a shortage of black male therapists and an abundance of black men seeking therapists that looked like them. I’m also combat Veteran with over 20 total years of experience serving diverse communities in various capacities.
What sets me apart as a black male clinical social worker is that I don’t just work with clients from behind a desk or computer screen. I’ve lived the challenges many of them face. I grew up in a home impacted by trauma and substance abuse, struggled as a teen, and turned my life around through resilience, mentorship, and purpose. Today, I specialize in relationships, anxiety, men’s issues, and trauma. I combine traditional therapy with community-based experiences, like my Men’s Walk N Talk, to help men heal, grow, and build accountability in a judgment-free environment. I don’t just talk about change, I walk the path alongside those I serve. I intertwine personal experience, professional breadth, niche specialization, community-based engagement, and faith-informed mentorship to create a holistic, relatable, and results-driven approach to healing—particularly for men who feel overlooked or misunderstood. I offer more than therapy. I offer transformation that starts in the community and moves into the clinic.
What does success mean to you?
Success is journey, not a destination. It’s living on-purpose, with purpose, while overcoming challenges, and helping others grow along the way. Success is also when others utilize AND teach what they’ve learned from you.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.rochenoirecc.com
- Instagram: menswalkntalk_dfw
