Hi! My name is Sarah, and I am a Licensed Professional Counselor in Texas. I also have School Counseling and Teaching degrees, with 19 years experience working at various levels and positions within the public school system supporting kids of all ages, parents, and staff members. I am also a wife and a mom. Life can be really hard and mental health can complicate things, and I know personally what a big step it is and how overwhelming it can be to look into counseling options for yourself or your child--trust me, it is well worth your time and efforts! While I have no magic wand, I am a great listener, known to be trusted and reliable, easy to talk and relate to, and well trained and experienced with multiple therapy modes. With my experience as a school mental health professional at various levels, I have supported kids and their parents through many issues and hardships that they have faced including anxiety, depression, grief and loss, anger, and school problems. During COVID, I became well versed with providing counseling in a virtual environment, and I am able to adjust and incorporate interactive activities with kids to keep it engaging, while at the same time focus on therapeutic goals. I also have special training (and personal experience as a foster/adopt parent) to work with kids and/or their caregivers who have experienced trauma. As a wife/mom, I am relatable and have personal and professional experience to provide counseling to women going through various struggles, roadblocks, and hardships. If you would like to incorporate your personal faith into counseling, please let me know, and we can make that as much of a priority as you would like.
During our first session, we will get to know each other, and I will allow you to share as much as you feel comfortable about your life journey and what has led you to pursuing counseling. We will work together to come up with a plan and some goals to work towards. If you are pursuing counseling for your child, I will ask that you as the parent log onto the first part of the session by yourself to share some background information. For children, while the focus will be on the child, I take a systems approach and want to collaborate with you as the parent/caregiver in a way that your child feels comfortable. With kids, I truly believe that it takes a village! I work to build rapport and trust with kids/teens, just as with adults, and I let them know the limits of confidentiality during our first session. I have had great success with younger and older kids because I am relatable, keep our time together engaging, and I am upfront and honest about any parent communication that will take place.
My greatest strengths are my years of experience (both professionally and personally) and my genuine desire to come alongside my clients to listen, encourage, and support in a way that feels and is natural, yet is backed with research-based therapeutic knowledge. Once you meet me, you will know that I am down to earth and easy to talk to!
Person-centered is just as it sounds - getting to know, walk alongside, and support YOU (and/or your child) within a genuine and safe therapeutic relationship. I will tailor the treatment plan based on your needs, preferences, and strengths.
I am versed in multiple treatment methods and will incorporate them as we work together towards your treatment goals. For example, if you are struggling with ongoing sadness/anxiety, then Cognitive Behavioral is a great approach to help understand and challenge thoughts, beliefs, and actions. I also utilize Strength-Based and Solution Focused to help you identify and build from your strengths and successes. Additionally, being a TBRI Practitioner, I am trained in supporting kids who have experienced trauma (and their caregivers).
If you would like to incorporate (or center your treatment around) your personal faith beliefs, then I am glad to tailor your treatment plan in that way. This is completely optional.