Laurelhurst Counseling

Sarah has worked as a NC Licensed Clinical Mental Health Counselor for 16 years and a NC Licensed Clinical Mental Health Counselor Supervisor for 9 years. Her work experience includes private practice, community mental health agency, in home services, justice department services, and school services having provided outpatient treatment, intensive outpatient treatment, intensive in home services, crisis intervention services, community support and coordination. Her past treatment areas include mental health, severe and persistent mental illness (SPMI), abuse/neglect, trauma, generational/societal/systemic trauma, personality disorders, family therapy, play therapy, substance use, and dual diagnosis. Sarah has extensive training in trauma work for children, adolescents, and adults. In 2014 she completed a 50 hour Trauma Focused Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (TF-CBT) training program provided by the NC Child Treatment Program in collaboration with Duke University. Also in 2014 she completed 24 hours of trauma training from the Medical University of South Carolina. In 2023 Sarah completed a 50 hour EMDR training program provided by EMDR Consulting. EMDR Consulting is owned by Roy Kiessling, who was trained by Francine Shapiro, the founder of EMDR. Sarah had the amazing opportunity to learn EMDR treatment directly from Roy Kiessling. In 2021-2023 Sarah completed a 200 hour specialized program for mental health professionals to incorporate accessing the body, movement, and breath to decrease depression and anxiety symptoms, increase internal distress tolerance, and increase regulation of the nervous system. Using these skills together with talk therapy provides a more grounded experience for clients to incorporate skills in every day life. Sarah also has training in Cognitive Behavioral Therapy, Motivational Interviewing, Dialectical Behavioral Therapy, Play Therapy, 7 Challenges youth substance use program, and Person Centered therapy. Working with Sarah will begin with an initial assessment (90 minutes) to understand the scope of your needs, conditions, and diagnosis. Follow up sessions (55 minutes) will focus on symptom reduction, skill building, in depth exploration of patterns and your past, building future healthy patterns and integrating wellness. Sarah will use any of the above mentioned treatment approaches to best meet your needs. Please visit the Psychology Today page to learn more https://www.psychologytoday.com/profile/311202