Sara M. Brown, LMHC

  About Sara

Sara has invested 20 years, collectively,  into social services , as and is strong advocate for  the under-privileged.

​

 She

has developed  keen assessment ability, to target and treat complex problems.

She is a licensed Mental Health Counselor, Certified School Psychologist, and Certified Career Counselor,
with 19 years’ experience in social services, intervention, and health and wellness. She is a recognized behavior interventionist, providing collaboration and consultation, to schools and businesses. She is certified in numerous specialties, to include; trauma, substance dependence, communication disorders,
and mindful therapy.  She is also a certified yoga instructor of 19 years.

Sara has benefited from domestic and world travel, in-depth studying, and life experience. She brings an abundance of experience to her clients, and is known as highly personable, knowledgeable, and culturally aware. Clients report she can relate on almost any topic while providing steady skills and insight, wherein the client is heard, understood, and respected.

Sara has many personal hobbies, interests, licenses and certifications, which can be read about in her blogs. She is passionate about the connection of all things living, and her therapeutic approach is about bridging gaps and separations, which often cause or enhance dis-ease, depressed mood, or disorders.

Treatment

I’m a licensed Mental Health Professional with 19 years collaborate experience in treating a vast array of issues and Disorders. My therapeutic approach is about first understanding your understanding of your experiences, and next, identifying patterns that are counterproductive or harmful.

My primary modality is known as “CBT”, or Cognitive Behavior Therapy. I incorporate Mindfulness and
“ACT” (Acceptance and Commitment Therapy), into nearly all treatment plans. Therapy can sometimes feel very personal, and quickly, very impersonal. Sometimes a patient/client is attending for an ‘answer’ to something. My approach is incorporating of a big picture, and a renewal of you, through mindful living and healthy choices. The exploration of your paths and decisions will reveal if you are living with integrity to your values, with your best self in mind, and our planning together will be goal-oriented toward your defined purpose.

During treatment, I will offer as many tools and resources as possible, for you to grasp, from the information you share. I ask particular questions, so you can see the futility in your patterns, and find within you, your own logic and motivation for change. Together, we work on new thinking and activities, as you to build confidence, while breaking old and useless patterns.

I treat Individuals, Families, and Couples. Adolescent treatment often involves family support. I provide for a variety of Disorders, but also situational stress and transition problems. Your treatment will be unique and rich with information and resources.

Therapies

Depending on the nature of your inquiry, interest, goals, and concerns; a thorough assessment is initialized for the beginning weeks of treatment. A ‘Modality’ is a scientifically-based approach which is
formatted and often sequenced. “CBT”, is the acronym for “Cognitive Behavior Therapy”. The approaches here are like a tool box offering, with skills offered depending on the faulty thinking which is effecting behavior (and thereafter, communication or relationship issues). “MI” means “Motivational Interviewing, and is an approach created of questions around why resistance and obstacles exist to better choices. Almost all treatment plans involve a collaborative approach with essential problem-solving, and are meant to build the confidence in the treated individual to trust their own abilities, and build distress tolerance skills. It is always helpful to inform your new clinician of times you felt successful or unsuccessful in past treatment, and what type of communication or modality you felt was most helpful. To understand your 45 minute sessions are best used by following a plan and checking
into goals; honest reviews and input are essential to your progress. It is recommended, should you have a primary issue or something you want to make sure is discussed, to bring this up at the beginning of your session. You will be offered skills and are encouraged to schedule times for change and for optional homework. Clients are offered both activities and skills for daily implementation, given the
more proactive and mindful use of skills, the more quickly the gains of insight and confidence begin to emerge. There is no point in attending therapy and leaving to the old thinking and habits. CBT is the
cornerstone of most therapy plans; because mindfully ‘thinking about thinking’ and changing those neuropathways and thoughts that crash you, are essentially, an active and on-going exercise, until your habit is new again, and you feel consistently better (regardless and not dependent to outer
circumstances). There are many other modalities which may be utilized, and will be explained to you, should they be incorporated; such as “ACT” (Acceptance and Commitment Therapy), or Mindfulness (akin to “DBT” or Dialectical Behavior Therapy, which is usually more stringent in its’ approach and not collaborated with other modalities. What is most important is to communicate how you are feeling, where you are feeling successful, when overwhelmed, and when strategies aren’t working, even given due time and effort. We spent quite a bit of time “Reframing”, and also finding patterns and roots. Your
input and effort or two actions which drive your success, in your time (both short and long-term).

You can always call or e-mail, as a client, with questions about your therapy or things which come up throughout your weeks. Individuals seek treatment for situational occurrences, or intense Clinical Disorders. After assessment, we typically schedule six sessions and reassess, at that point, continuing and if goals need adjusting. Many clients attend counseling for years as a supportive insight tool, and to
continue gaining tools for positive perspective and balance, scheduling every 2-3 weeks as a mental health check-up. When your goals are met and you feel consistently equipped and happy, we will discuss a reduction in frequency, discharge, or a change of treatment goals to address other chronically challenging areas.