How Sara works
Practical facts
- Credentials
- LMSW
- Licensed in
- Michigan
- Years in practice
- 8
- Languages
- English
- Session format
- Online, through our partner platform
About Sara
Sara Sutherland is a licensed master social worker who helps people manage stress, anxiety, grief, depression, anger, and major life changes. She works with individuals facing chronic illness, caregiver strain, addiction concerns, and relationship difficulties. Her aim is to make people feel seen and heard while supporting practical steps toward change.
Sara completed undergraduate studies in social work and psychology at Hope College. She earned a master of social work from Western Michigan University, focusing on clinical skills.
Background and approach
Over eight years she has worked in independent practice, health care, and hospice settings, which shaped her approach to complex and end-of-life issues. In sessions she keeps the work straightforward and genuine. She listens first, then offers tools you can use day to day.
Those tools may include cognitive-behavioral strategies, mindfulness practices, or skills from dialectical behavior therapy depending on what fits. Sara places attention on grief, chronic and terminal health concerns, caregiver stress, and the emotional fallout of life transitions. She also supports people dealing with trauma, attachment difficulties, body image, and identity questions such as LGBT concerns.
People meet her and often find a calm, steady presence. She balances warm listening with clear, practical suggestions aimed at small, doable change. If someone wants help sorting feelings and making realistic plans, she will work alongside them to get there.
What Sara works with
Everything Sara lists, in the therapist's own terms. Anger is the reason this directory exists; the rest tells you what usually sits alongside it in Sara's practice.
- Stress, Anxiety
- Grief
- Depression
- Coping with life changes
- Compassion fatigue
- Addictions
- LGBT
- Relationship issues
- Family conflicts
- Trauma and abuse
- Intimacy-related issues
- Parenting issues
- Anger management
- Self esteem
- Bipolar disorder
- ADHD
- Aging and geriatric issues
- Attachment issues
- Body image
- Cancer
- Caregiver issues and stress
- Chronic pain, illness, and disability
- Co-morbidity
- Communication problems
- Family problems
- Fertility issues
- Forgiveness
- Guilt and shame
- Hospice and end-of-life counseling
- Isolation / loneliness
- Jealousy
- Life purpose
- Mood disorders
- Obsessions, compulsions, and OCD
- Panic disorder and panic attacks
- Personality disorders
- Post-traumatic stress
- Self-love
- Social anxiety and phobia
- Women's issues
- Young adult issues
Approaches Sara lists
- Client-Centered Therapy
- Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT)
- Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT)
- Emotionally-Focused Therapy (EFT)
- Mindfulness Therapy
- Motivational Interviewing
- Narrative Therapy
- Solution-Focused Therapy
Listing an approach is not evidence of training in it. This directory copies what each therapist names and does not check training records.
Therapeutic approaches and online care
Client-centered therapy focuses on the person in front of the therapist. It involves listening without judgment and helping people find their own answers. This approach helps when someone needs acceptance, clearer self-understanding, or a steady space to sort feelings.Cognitive behavioral therapy, or CBT, looks at how thoughts, feelings, and behaviors connect. It teaches practical skills to shift unhelpful thinking and change behaviors that keep problems going. CBT often helps with anxiety, depression, anger, and coping during life transitions.
Dialectical behavior therapy, DBT, offers concrete skills for emotion regulation, distress tolerance, and improving relationships. These skills are useful when strong emotions feel overwhelming or when someone wants better ways to manage conflict or urges.
Finding the right approach is part of the work together. The therapist will discuss goals, try strategies, and adjust methods based on what helps most. That collaborative process makes it easier to pick tools that fit someone’s day-to-day life.
Online sessions are offered by video call, phone, live chat, or text-based messaging to provide flexibility. Video is useful for a full face-to-face conversation, phone can be a simpler option with lower bandwidth, and chat or messaging work well for brief check-ins or people who prefer typed communication. These options make it easier to fit therapy around work, caregiving, health needs, and travel.
Questions people ask about Sara
What concerns does she help with?
Sara supports people with stress, anxiety, grief, depression, anger, and coping with life changes. She also works with issues like chronic illness, caregiver stress, addictions, relationship and intimacy concerns, and body image.
How would you describe her therapy style?
She uses a warm, straightforward approach that emphasizes listening first. Sessions mix empathetic reflection with practical tools drawn from CBT, DBT, mindfulness, and client-centered techniques.
What is her professional background?
Sara has eight years of clinical experience in independent practice, health care, and hospice settings. Her work has exposed her to grief, chronic and terminal illness, personality concerns, and life transitions.
What are her credentials and where is she based?
She holds a Licensed Master Social Worker credential - LMSW - and practices in Michigan.
Which languages are sessions offered in?
Sessions are offered in English.
What session formats are available?
She works with clients via video calls, phone sessions, live chat, and text-based messaging. These formats let clients choose what fits their schedule and comfort.
How are sessions priced?
Cost varies with location and therapist availability. Sessions use a subscription model that can be canceled at any time.
How do I begin working with her?
Start by selecting the Start Therapy button and completing a short matching questionnaire. Then schedule sessions according to the therapist's availability.