Meet Sarah
Your Anxiety and Perfectionism Therapist in Galena, Ohio
Helping kids, teens, and young adults quiet the inner critic, manage anxiety, and feel more confident in who they are.
Maybe from the outside, you seem like you have it together.
You're responsible. You care deeply. You work hard. You want to do well and make the people around you proud.
But underneath all of that, you might feel exhausted from trying so hard.
Your mind won't stop overthinking. You worry about what other people think. You put enormous pressure on yourself to get things right. You might feel like you're never doing enough, even when you're accomplishing things that should make you proud.
Maybe you're struggling with anxiety, perfectionism, self-doubt, emotional overwhelm, friendships, school pressure, or figuring out who you are and what you actually want.
You can be capable and still be struggling. You can be high-achieving and still need support.
You don't have to keep figuring it all out on your own.
You don’t have to become someone else to feel better.
Therapy isn’t about fixing something that’s wrong with you.
It's about understanding yourself.
It's learning why your mind reacts the way it does, recognizing the patterns that keep you stuck, and developing new ways to respond when life feels overwhelming.
Together, we'll work toward helping you:
Quiet the voice that constantly tells you you're not good enough
Break free from all-or-nothing thinking and perfectionism
Feel more comfortable with uncertainty and making mistakes
Understand and regulate overwhelming emotions
Feel more grounded and connected to your body
Build confidence and trust yourself
Navigate friendships, family relationships, school, and major life changes
Figure out what matters to you, rather than constantly living according to everyone else's expectations
The goal isn't to never feel anxious, overwhelmed, or uncertain again. It's to know what to do when those feelings show up, and to feel confident that you can handle them.
How I Can Help
When your brain won’t turn off → CBT
When stress feels stuck in your body → Somatic Strategies
Anxiety isn't just something that happens in your head.
It can look like a racing heart, tense muscles, restlessness, a pit in your stomach, feeling on edge, or completely shutting down.
We'll pay attention to those signals (and even put them on a scale to better understand them) and practice body-based strategies that can help you feel more grounded and regulated.
When fear is keeping you from living → ACT
You shouldn't have to wait until you feel completely confident before doing the things that matter to you.
ACT helps us make room for uncomfortable thoughts and feelings while still moving toward your values, your relationships, goals, interests, and the kind of person you want to be.
You don't have to get rid of anxiety before you start living.
Maybe you know you're overthinking, but you can't seem to stop.
Cognitive Behavioral Therapy or CBT helps us slow down that cycle and understand the connection between your thoughts, feelings, and behaviors. We'll identify patterns that are feeding anxiety and self-doubt and practice responding to them differently.
Instead of automatically believing “I'm going to mess this up” or “Everyone is judging me,” you'll learn to pause, question those thoughts, and develop a more balanced perspective.
What Therapy With Me Feels Like
I want therapy to feel warm, collaborative, and real.
You don't have to walk into my office knowing exactly what to say. You don't need to have your feelings perfectly figured out. And you definitely don't need to impress me.
We'll talk about the hard things, but we'll also make room for humor, creativity, curiosity, and the parts of life that make you you. I’m here to meet you where you are when you come in and go at a pace that feels right for you.
Especially with younger clients, I believe therapy should feel age-appropriate and engaging, not like another adult telling you what you're doing wrong. I’ve got plenty of games and art supplies for fun and expression while we are doing the hard and important emotional work!
My role isn't to tell you who you should be.
It's to help you figure out who you are.
Less Formally
Fun Fact: This is my sister’s cat, Bibi! I have two orange cats of my own too named Hansel and Gretel (Hans and Greta for short)!
Click the menu below to learn more about my education and trainings!
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Bachelor of Psychology with a minor in Social Work from University of Dayton
Master of Social Work from The Ohio State University
Ohio: Licensed Social Worker #S.2512439
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Acceptance and Commitment Therapy for Beginners: Psychwire
Dialectical Behavioral Therapy Skills: Psychwire
Coming soon: EMDR!
I'm a therapist, but that's definitely not the only thing I am!
I'm a daughter, sister, friend, cat mom, and someone who is almost always planning her next trip. When I'm not working, you'll probably find me sharing a meal with friends or family, at a concert, going for a run, or looking for an excuse to get out and do something fun!
I'm a big fan of reality TV, Mamma Mia!, Dua Lipa, and having approximately three different drinks going at once because apparently I can never commit to just one (specifically water, iced coffee, a Starbucks refresher and/or a diet coke).
I think it's important for clients to know that their therapist is a real person, too. Starting therapy can sometimes feel strange, you’re opening up to someone you've never met before, and I don't expect you to immediately feel completely comfortable or tell me everything.
I want you to get to know me, too!
So I bring my whole self into the therapy room, and I hope that gives you permission to bring your whole self, too.
You don't have to be polished here.
You don't have to have the perfect words.
You don't have to say the "right" thing.
You can just be you.