About Therapy
The gas gauge is leaning on empty. It’s time to talk.
Making the decision to come to therapy can be difficult. Sometimes, it feels like a last resort as if you have already failed.
But it’s not the end. It’s just the beginning.
It’s where you start to create a new life, one that is more meaningful, fulfilling, and even fun – yes, fun!
Unfortunately, sometimes you gotta look at how the sausage is made.
It’s hard and even scary sometimes to look back at how you got to this place. It may mean facing some hard truths about how you’ve been treated or how you’ve treated others. It may involve dredging up past events or losses that were long forgotten or realizing that you have been a victim of abuse even though you have always thought of yourself as a strong and independent person.
It’s not easy. It’s work. But just like work, you can learn to love it. You can experience pain and gratitude at the same time. You can laugh in the midst of grief and despair.
And most importantly, you can restore hope and optimism for the future.
A life without laughter is not worth living.
You know those signs that say “Live, Laugh, Love”? There should be a sign that says, “Live, Laugh, Love, Go to Therapy.”
Therapy should not be something folks are afraid to do. It’s not solely about digging up pain and spreading it everywhere. It is as much about the excavation and restoration of the self.
Think of a house that has good bones but needs a little TLC. Someone to help paint, decorate, and put the shine back on. But like every good renovation project, you have to look at what’s going on with the infrastructure, the foundation. You need a good architect and a blueprint.
That’s where therapy comes in. We make a plan to heal and restore.
Sarah Edmunds, LCSW-C
Why I Love This Work
I love what I do because I get to work with people just like you.
I get to see the smile return, the laugh lines form, and the return of a spark to someone’s eye when they realize life can be good again. It’s not always immediate. It takes time, dedication, persistence, and patience. But the reward is worth the effort.
I’ve learned so much in my work over the 25+ years I have been in the mental health field. There is nothing more honorable or awe-inspiring than to be invited in to share someone’s life journey, even when it is filled with hardship and heartbreak.
There are so many different ways to examine our lives and how we live them. I love the exploration and helping people find creative solutions.
How I Work
I am well practiced in establishing rapport and engaging individuals who are suffering from anxiety, depression, overwhelm, feelings of loss, disconnection, and identity insecurity.
I am a certified clinical trauma professional and a certified life and health coach using a strengths-based and integrative approach that focuses on the mind/body connection to decrease symptoms and enhance wellness. Clinically, I draw from CognitiveBehavioral Therapy, Self-Psychology, and Internal Family Systems.
Whether working online or in person with clients, I provide a comfortable, confidential space to explore feelings and concerns. My style is warm and empathic. When it makes sense, I like to incorporate humor to help put clients at ease.
With over 25 years of clinical experience…
…I’ve worked in a variety of settings, including hospital emergency medicine, police-based mobile crisis unit, veteran services, treatment foster care, and as a care manager for at-risk seniors.
When I’m not at work…
…I enjoy singing and songwriting, which led to my recording an album of my own original music a few years ago. I believe in music as medicine and encourage all my clients to find or return to creative outlets as an adjunct form of therapy.