(she/her)
Hi! My name is Sarah and I am a Licensed Professional Counselor. Before I say more about myself, I want to say congrats on taking your first step towards creating a happier and more fulfilling life! Starting therapy can be intimidating but, once you get started, I'm sure you'll wonder why you didn't start sooner. I have been an outpatient therapist for about 5 years. Prior to that, I spent about 8 years gaining experience in other areas of mental health/behavioral health care such as substance abuse, residential mental health treatment, and wraparound support for children with Autism. I have a bachelor's degree in psychology and a master's degree in clinical Mental Health Counseling. I enjoy helping people heal from past and present experiences to overcome obstacles that are keeping them from living the life they want and deserve. I strive to provide a safe, supportive, and comfortable space for clients to be their authentic selves and explore the deeper parts of themselves. We will work as a team every step of the way to be sure that you are working towards the goals that are most important to you and gaining all that you can from this experience. Whether you are working through a difficult relationship, a major life transition, career challenges, grief and loss, trauma, or just want to generally grow as a person, I would love to be a part of your journey! In my free time, I enjoy spending time with my animals (3 cats and a dog) and my partner, walking outside on a nice day, going to concerts, binge-watching whatever the latest show is that I'm into, and building Lego (nothing wrong with being a child at heart sometimes!).
I’m our first session together, we’ll start with introductions so we can start building a strong therapeutic relationship. I will gather general background information about you as well as what has brought you to therapy. We'll discuss goals that you have, what you look for in a therapist, and anything that would help you feel more comfortable in the therapeutic environment. I will also answer any questions that you have about therapy, the modalities I use, my professional background, or anything else that would be helpful for you to know. Overall, the goal of our first session is to create a sturdy foundation to build off of in future sessions.
Some of my greatest strengths are my ability to empathize with people and validate their experiences while still challenging them in areas of growth. I also have a strong ability to recognize and understand patterns of thinking or behavior which allows me to help people develop a deeper understanding of themselves. Together we will discover what is holding you back from living life as your best authentic self and develop steps towards change.
I love working with adolescents and adults that are interested in growing and exploring their inner selves. Having an open mind is key! I appreciate diversity and enjoy working with people of all sorts of backgrounds.
EMDR
EMDR stands for eye movement desensitization reprocessing. EMDR utilizes bilateral stimulation to help the brain process on a deeper level. It is commonly know to be helpful for healing from trauma, but I have found it to be useful for many other issues as well such as anxiety, depression, relationship issues, etc. It is a fantastic option for people who haven’t completely gotten what they need from other forms of therapy.
Trauma Informed Care
I have over 8 years of experience(both pre and post licensure) treating people who have experienced trauma. It helps me help clients identify how past situations impact their current functioning and the challenges they experience.
Person-centered (Rogerian)
In addition to more structured approaches, I think it is important to allow the client to guide the direction of therapy towards what they would like to explore. I utilize empathy, thought-provoking questions, and acceptance to create a safe environment and help you achieve the growth you are looking for.
Cognitive Behavioral (CBT)
CBT is helpful in managing reoccurring unwanted thoughts, depression, and anxiety. It is used to recognize how thoughts, feelings, and behaviors influence each other. Then, that understanding and knowledge is used to change thinking patterns which leads to a less stressful and more satisfying life.