Licensed to practice in California and accepts 1 insurance. Specializes in Anxiety, Obsessive-Compulsive (OCD), Trauma and PTSD and 9 more.
Sarah-Brooke Stiles
(she/her)
Clients say this provider is
About me
A little about me: I’m a Licensed Clinical Social Worker who, come to find out, originally got into this field largely to figure myself out. If you’ve never heard that from a therapist before, it’s actually a pretty common thread among us, we often subconsciously step into healing others as a way to find healing within ourselves. About 22 years ago, I was diagnosed with Complex PTSD, and roughly 15 years ago, I received an OCD diagnosis. Having these two conditions overlap made things incredibly challenging throughout much of my life and if I’m being completely honest, navigating that balance can still have its moments today. But there’s something powerful about a wounded healer: we tend to want more for ourselves and for the people we serve than just standard, status-quo talk therapy. We dig deeper because we need real answers on a personal level, and once we find what works, we want to share it with the world.
Get to know me
In our first session together, here's what you can expect
I am a big proponent of interviewing your therapist. In order to embark on your own healing journey, it is imperative that you feel safe and connected to the therapist you choose to work with. Our first session will be a space for me to better understand your needs and what you are looking for in therapy. It will also be a time for you to get a feel for me and see if I will be a good fit for you in this vulnerable process.
The biggest strengths that I bring into our sessions
I specialize in holistic and somatic therapy, to help adults who are struggling with Trauma, PTSD, OCD, and relational issues to stop feeling stuck in a never ending cycle and begin experiencing lasting change, nervous system regulation, and a deep connection with their authentic self. I’ll meet you where you are on your unique journey and offer you the support you need to achieve your goals. You don’t have to continue running in circles, I will walk you through regulating your nervous system and connecting with your authentic self.
The clients I'm best positioned to serve
My favorite is working with individuals who feel ready to put in some hard work to reach their own personal goals and aspirations. Working through anxiety, depression, trauma, OCD, and dysfunctional relationships can feel like a very daunting task; it is true that in therapy things often feel worse before becoming better, but the journey is absolutely worth it! I love working with people who are ready to break dysfunctional cycles that they feel stuck in and experience life in a more fulfilling way. I deeply enjoy walking alongside people in their journeys to freedom and self-discovery. The journey to healing looks different for every individual and therefore treatment is individualized to meet your specific needs and goals.
Specialties
Top specialties
Anxiety
Obsessive-Compulsive (OCD)
Trauma and PTSD
Other specialties
Anger Management
Crisis Intervention
Foster Care/Adoption
Life Transitions
Parenting
Phobias
Self Esteem
Self-Harming
Substance Misuse
Identifies as
White
Woman
Serves ages
Adults (18 to 64)
Licensed in
California
Accepts
Cash - $200 per session
Location
Virtual
My treatment methods
Trauma Informed Care
I use a variety of body-based/somatic interventions to work with trauma for we know through "The Body Keeps the Score" by Bessel Van Der Kolk that trauma lives in the body. I developed a modality called The Inner Room Method (TIR): Grounded in an innate wisdom-centered practice, TIR honors your body’s natural drive toward homeostasis and restoration once conscious barriers are cleared. By integrating parts of client-led modalities such as free association, Internal Family Systems (IFS), Gestalt, inner-child work, and visualization we safely process attachment wounds and release core shame. I utilize an intervention coined Somatic Experiencing by Peter Levine: By gently tracking physical sensations, completing fight-or-flight stress responses, and discharging trapped survival energy, you can uncouple past relational trauma from present-day interactions. I utilize several interventions from Bessel Van Der Kolk - Somatic Traumatology: Drawing on the foundational principle that "the body keeps the score," we utilize movement, interoceptive awareness, and physical grounding to process stored relational stress that verbal processing alone cannot reach. I also emphasize Vagal Health & Nervous System Regulation: Incorporating Polyvagal Theory practices and self-soothing touch helps tone the vagus nerve. Strengthening vagal tone expands your window of tolerance, allowing you to pause, regulate your physiological response to conflict, and set boundaries without spiraling into panic or guilt.
Attachment-based
Codependency lives deeply within the body and nervous system. Because logic alone never rewires chronic survival responses, integrating somatic modalities is essential for true healing. Within codependency therapy, I draw from a rich toolkit of body-centered practices to help you feel grounded and safe within yourself:
Somatic
One of our commonly used somatic-based interventions is the Emotional Freedom Technique, similar to acupuncture. EFT involves gently tapping on specific meridian points on the body to release blocked energy and restore balance to your emotional and physical well-being. While the concept of energy work may seem unfamiliar, it aligns with the principles of acupuncture, a practice widely accepted in Western medicine. EFT can be a valuable tool for addressing a wide range of challenges, including: Emotional distress: anxiety, stress, fear, anger, sadness, and grief. Trauma: PTSD, unresolved childhood experiences, and emotional overwhelm. Limiting beliefs: negative thought patterns that hold you back from achieving your goals. Physical ailments: chronic pain, headaches, and other physical symptoms that may be related to emotional stress. Addictions: Support in overcoming unhealthy habits and cravings.
Mind-body approach
To help address the root drivers of OCD, and other anxiety related conditions, I use an integrative approach I developed called PAVEN. This method combines guided visualization and inner-child work to offer relief to the vulnerable parts of you that fuel obsessive tendencies. Rather than treating your mind's alarms as an enemy to suppress, this gentle, somatic framework guides you inward to connect with the parts of yourself that drive compulsive loops. By combining emotional awareness, somatic tracking, and inner-child reparenting work, PAVEN addresses the unmet needs at the core of your patterns while serving as a compassionate therapy for intrusive thoughts and physical anxiety. Through this process, your nervous system can finally cultivate a genuine sense of safety.
9 ratings with written reviews
December 29, 2025
Employs a variety of approaches to therapy.
Verified client, age 55-64
December 29, 2025
Sarah creates a warm and caring environment that makes it easy to open up. Her thoughtful approach and guidance have been extremely helpful and meaningful to me.
Verified client, age 45-54
November 14, 2025
I originally reached out to Sarah for general health anxiety. But in the months that I've been meeting and working with her, her impact goes beyond and is so much more far-reaching than I expected. She is kind, caring, and compassionate. She is also extremely intelligent and as a continual learner myself, I love what I come away with from her. I love what I learn. Most importantly, she equips me well for handling difficulties in my life. She's amazing.