Samaritan Counseling Services of the Gulf Coast recently hired two new staff members: Linda Martin, a licensed mental health counselor, and Rev. William Clough, doctor of ministry. Martin earned a master's degree in counseling psychology and a master's in school guidance from Nova Southeastern University and a bachelor's degree in psychology and a bachelor's in sociology from UCLA. She has more than 40 years of clinical experience in various environments. Clough has several degrees and has served as a church pastor, as a Navy chaplain and as the program chair of the Pastoral Community Counseling Program at Argosy University.

Along with its new staff, Samaritan has also added new locations in Lakewood Ranch and Sarasota, bringing the total number of locations for counseling services to nine throughout Sarasota and Manatee counties.