My Mission
The perinatal continuum encompasses trying to conceive through postpartum/early parenthood , and all the unexpected hurdles in between: fertility challenges, miscarriage, pregnancy struggles, birth trauma, relationship changes, and more. Getting support during this time is important to optimal mental health, and having a therapist who understands the perinatal period is an important factor. To support you and your therapeutic goals, I will use my graduate training in counseling, my 10 years of work as a board-certified music therapist, my specialized perinatal training, and my personal journey in motherhood.
Research shows and my experience confirms that the relationship between client and therapist is the most important factor in the counseling process. Even though you’ll rarely hear me reference my personal anecdotes and details in session – our time together is about you! – I am shaped by my experiences. You should know the person who you’ll be sharing your deepest darkest with. Here is a little about me.
About Sarah
My Work
I work with a person-centered perspective, I am responsive to individual needs, and I continually strive for honest and deepened cultural understanding. As a mother to three young children, I am personally attuned to the current parenting climate and empathetic to the experiences of others in this realm.
How I Started
I was going to be a cellist.
When I got to music school, I realized that isolating myself for 5 hours a day in a practice room was not aligned with my personality. My joy came with being with others, helping others. When I realized I could switch my major from performance to music therapy, something clicked for me. I was heading in the right direction.
Through my 10 years working as a music therapist, I had the privilege of engaging in therapeutic relationships with people from many different backgrounds: I worked in inpatient psychiatric settings for adults, adolescents, and children, as well as in a specialized eating disorder unit. I also worked in community settings with adults and children with intellectual disabilities, adults with dementia, and neurodiverse individuals of varying ages. Through music and music therapy, I engaged with a beautiful swath of humanity.
Enter Motherhood
I had my first son in 2014, my second in 2017, and my third in 2021 (I see you, pandemic parents!). The road to creating each of these humans was more complex than I could have imagined, and it shaped my identity and interests in new, deeply beautiful ways. I became very interested in the maternal experience, and particularly from the mental health side. I was called to work with other parents, but not exactly sure how. When my second son was one, I decided to go back to school for a master’s in counseling to deepen my verbal clinical skills and specifically focus on the perinatal population.
Back to School
I was accepted to the clinical mental health counseling program at NC State. My family and I decided to move to Raleigh from the D.C. metro area in 2019. I worked through my counseling classwork with some unanticipated hurdles (virtual Kindergarten – need I say more?).
In my clinical experience over my last three semesters at NC State, I interned specifically with a focus on perinatal mental health. I was supervised by Dr. Hilary Mandzik, PsyD who guided me with a passionate knowledge about the population. All my clients during internship were at diverse stages of the perinatal continuum: family planning; facing fertility issues; pregnancy loss; pregnancy; postpartum. I feel privileged to have trained so specifically and gotten experience with a variety of clients all with the empathetic support of supervision. Luckily as an associate, I will continue supervision to support my professional growth and my clients. Dr. Hilary is also a parenting coach and expert, and I am happy to know that she is just a consultation away.
Thank you for taking the time to get to know a little about me. Please schedule a free 15 minute phone consultation, because all of this page is trying to say is that I am ready to get to know and support you.