I believe that you are the expert on your own experience. One of my goals is that the
main benefit you, or your child, gains from therapy is that you become increasingly
self-aware of your own strengths and how they can best serve you to overcome
whatever you are facing. Although you or your family may be experiencing intense
challenges, and you’re not sure what the next step should be, you have also somehow
made it to today, and that proof of strength should never be ignored. I would love to
join with you in your next steps, one step at a time.
My educational background is in Social Work, earning my Bachelor’s of Social Work at
James Madison University in 2008 and then my Master’s of Social Work at the University
of Houston in 2012. From there I worked to earn my clinical license, becoming an LCSW
in 2016. My experience since earning my Masters degree is in Emergency Services,
assessing for the level of need for treatment for those in crisis situations from 2013 to
2015, as well as in the primary school setting from 2015 to 2021. I have also had jobs or
internships related to DWI probation, palliative care for cancer patients, secondary
education, and a private practice office that completed testing and treatment for
primarily ADHD and Autism diagnoses. In the primary school setting I worked with a
variety of issues and diagnoses ranging from abuse and neglect, foster care and
adoption, behavioral difficulties at school and/or at home, ADHD, Anxiety, Depression,
adjustment to major life transitions, grief and loss, and helping families navigate our
complex public school system and how to be the best advocate for your child. Since
joining Compass Counseling in 2021 I have been undergoing extensive training and
earned the credential of Registered Play Therapist TM.
My current practice is focused on children 10 and under. I primarily utilize Child
Centered Play Therapy (CCPT). CCPT is a non-directive play therapy approach that is
developmentally appropriate for this age range, as children under 13 do not yet
possess abstract reasoning skills, and thus struggle to make progress using traditional
talk therapy, or other directive models of therapy. The four universal outcomes that
occur with a CCPT approach despite the presenting problem for therapy include:
increased self-regulation, increased worldview, increased emotional vocabulary, and
increased self-esteem. Progress in these areas serves children for years to come and
the skills associated with these outcomes create healthy kids that turn into healthy
adults. Every 5 sessions I schedule a parent session so that I can hear from you about
how things are going at home, and update you on progress, status, and teach
parenting skills that will support continued progress in the home setting.
If one of your primary goals is to enhance your relationship with your child, I also offer
a parenting skills course, called Child-Parent Relationship Therapy (CPRT) that is based
on Child-Centered Play Therapy skills. This is a 10-week course that can be facilitated in
a group or individual setting that will revolutionize the way you interact with your child
and often shows results more quickly than traditional play therapy, as the child-parent
relationship is the most critical to a child’s well-being. I hope to offer a group option at
least once a school semester, but it is also available as an individual parent option if the
group time does not fit with your schedule.
I have limited openings available for teenagers, college students and adults. My work in
this age range focuses on un-processed childhood trauma, grief and loss, life
transitions (graduating high school/college, beginning new jobs, moving), and
supporting caregivers whether you be in a parenting role, teaching role or as a first
responder.
I use a variety of modalities with teenagers and adults including: client-centered,
solution-focused, cognitive behavioral therapy, play therapy (not just for kids!) and
trauma informed approaches. Sometimes simple, practical changes at home or at
school can make a world of difference, and I am interested in how to help you identify
those things, while perhaps working longer term to process feelings or experiences
from the past or the present. We can discuss if I would be a good fit for you or your
family based on your individual needs and goals for therapy.
I look forward to hearing from you. If you have questions, or would like to make an
appointment please text or email me at 540-268-0590 or sarah@compassnrv.com. I am
usually the fastest to respond by email. I will do my best to get back to you within 2-3
days. Please note, effective October 2023 I will not be able to accept new cases until approximately May 2024 due to returning from maternity leave around that time.
Call: 540-268-0590
Email: sarah@compassNRV.com