About Sara
I’ve long been drawn to what lives beneath the surface — the emotions we struggle to name, the patterns we don’t fully understand, and the quiet ways our relationships shape who we become.
Again and again, I’ve seen how people can function well on the outside while feeling unsettled or disconnected within. I believe meaningful change begins not with quick solutions but with slowing down and making sense of what’s happening beneath the surface.
Therapy, at its best, is a steady and collaborative process. It’s a space where you don’t have to perform, explain yourself perfectly, or have everything figured out.
My Approach
My work is depth-oriented and relational. That means we look beyond surface symptoms to understand the emotional patterns and life experiences influencing how you think, feel, and relate. I integrate psychodynamic, attachment-based work, parts work, mindfulness, dream analysis, and practical tools to support both insight and change. Some sessions may focus on present-day challenges, while others gently explore earlier experiences that continue to shape your responses.
Rather than offering quick fixes, I focus on helping you build lasting clarity, emotional resilience, and healthier ways of relating — to yourself and others.
What It’s Like to Work With Me
Clients often describe me as steady, thoughtful, and supportive. I value honesty, authenticity, and curiosity. I believe moments of misunderstanding or tension in therapy can become meaningful opportunities for growth when approached with openness and care. My goal is not to “fix” you, but to help you understand yourself more fully — so you can move forward with greater confidence and alignment.
Training and Education
My academic training began with a Bachelor of Arts in Communication from American University in Washington, D.C., where I explored my interest in human behavior, relationships, and communication.
After college, I served in the Peace Corps in Azerbaijan—a country I had never heard of before being placed there. Immersing myself in a culture vastly different from my own for over two years deepened my understanding of identity, the importance of belonging, and the many ways people make sense of their lives. Living and working within a community so different from my own deepened my curiosity about human behavior and strengthened my appreciation for the resilience and complexity of people’s lives. It also cultivated qualities that continue to shape my work as a therapist today: cultural humility, the capacity to deeply listen, comfort with uncertainty and complexity, and an attunement to the relational systems that influence how people struggle, grow, and heal.
I later earned my Master of Science in Clinical Psychology from San Francisco State University. I am a Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist in California and have been practicing since 2015.
My professional path has also been shaped by my work in addiction medicine within a humanistic, harm-reduction–oriented setting. My work there informs my understanding of the worlds of substance use and emphasizes autonomy, challenging stigma, reflecting resilience, and compassion for the complexity of change.
My post-graduate training weaves together depth psychology, eastern traditions, relational science, and the potentials of healing in alternative states. I have completed advanced studies in Jungian-oriented psychotherapy, Buddhist psychology, Gottman Method couples therapy, and ketamine-assisted psychotherapy. Woven together, I focus on relational patterns, unconscious dynamics, and whole-person, authentic recovery in nuanced, integrative ways.
Rather than relying on a single framework, I intuitively draw from these perspectives, tailoring our work to your specific needs. This allows therapy to be both reflective and practical—grounded in insight while supporting meaningful, sustainable change.