The single largest factor in determining the outcome of therapy is now much the client likes the therapist. I want to be transparent in who I am so you can decide if we are the right fit.
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About Dr. Sarah
I'm not your average therapist.
One reason is because I'm so darn nerdy. I knew I wanted to become a psychologist when I took my first psychology class in high school. I was 16, and the subject resonated so deeply with me that I felt certain of my future. There was no advanced psychology coursework offered at my high school, so I developed my own AP course in psychology. I watched videos by Phil Zimbardo and found collegiate psychology text.
It wasn't just theory that resonated with me, it was a topic that focused on the underlying cause of human behavior and choice. I could explore how different people made meaning in unique ways, and I could appreciate human diversity. I found it challenging and I also felt that it offered me a way to be my authentic self and connect with others a genuine way.
Graduate school
I moved to Chicago to pursue my graduate studies. I felt certain in my desire to be a psychologist but I didn't know who I would serve or how I would approach therapy. Then I took my Intro to Adlerian Psychology course. It was NOT love at first sight. I didn't like what Adler wrote on some topics and initially thought CBT would be for me! Then I took my first lifestyle course, and everything changed. Adlerian theory is a very difficult theory to fully appreciate because it's so simple on the surface, but it is truly complex, holistic, integrative, and requires creativity and flexibility on the part of the clinician. I found my clinical home, and I wanted to train as thoroughly as possible. I had many incredible professors, but none impacted my career or my person as much as Harold Mosak.
Mosak's Magic
Harold is a big deal in the Adlerian world, and for good reason. He trained at the University of Chicago with Carl Rogers (the father of client-centered therapy), and worked with Rudolf Dreikurs who was directly trained by Alfred Adler himself. Dr. Mosak had the most incredible way understanding what made a person operate and he helped them feel truly heard. While it is required for students in graduate school to go on practicum (train at a clinical site with your own caseload and have 1 hour of supervision a week), Dr. Mosak developed a very unique training opportunity where he would hand pick a student to come to his private practice for 6 months and participate in therapy WITH Dr. Mosak. He invited me to come train in his office, but the wait was two years out. I was going to be on internship (the equivalent would be a medical residency) and could be placed anywhere in the country. The offer was so incredible I took an extra year in school to stay and train with him.
The time in his office on Michigan Avenue are some of my fondest memories. I would sit in on, and participate in therapy sessions run by Dr. Mosak, Dr. Maniacci, or both (could you imagine 3 therapists in your therapy session!) I had 5 hours of individual supervision a week where we would go into great depth talking about theory, change, and growth. I built a very special relationship with Dr. Mosak, and he truly mentored me. I would drive out to his house every Wednesday and talk about clinical cases and theory as we sat in his living room, or had dinner with his family. In addition to his ongoing mentorship we began to co-teach graduate courses together in in Advanced Lifestyle. When he had a health scare he asked me to teach his course for him, a request I honored. I went back to his office for another 6 month period and there were times I would spend 20 hours with him a week. He mentored me for 6 years and I will always carry him with me into the therapy room. When he moved out of his home of over 50 years he gave me the lamp from his living room. It sits in my office and rests next to my clients as they are in therapy. It anchors me and is a constant reminder of his guidance, love and wisdom.
The Nerniness Continues
I placed at an APA accredited internship in Chicago and completed my post-doc in Chicago as well. I always loved working with people from diverse backgrounds and trained at a clinic which served HIV impacted people from the LBGT community, an in-patient substance abuse facility, a City of Chicago community mental health center, an alternative high school, and a work release prison. I began teaching my own courses at the graduate level in my 20's and earned a doctoral concentration in Advanced Adlerian Psychotherapy. I initially taught at Adler University in Chicago, and I now teach at the Adler Graduate School in Minnesota. I specialize in Adlerian theory and am driven to pass the knowledge Harold gave to me. My passion for psychology hasn't faded and I have taken full graduate courses after licensure (my colleagues think I'm rediculous) attend conferences, and participate in two ongoing consultation groups (groups of psychologists challenging each other and providing feedback on work).
Serving the Highly Intelligent and Twice Exceptional
Through my first consultation group I met Dr. Andrea Johnson who invited me to another consultation group specializing in serving highly intelligent and twice exceptional people.. This underserved population is often not fully understood and this incredible group of interdisciplinary professionals strives to serve this community more effectively. Dr. Theresa Boatman offered to formally mentor and train me in a competency in serving highly intelligent people. I am fortunate to learn from her and enjoy serving highly intelligent clients, some of whom have had difficulty connecting with other mental health professionals.
Education
PsyD- Adler School of Professional Psychology, Chicago, IL
Doctoral Concentration: Advanced Adlerian Psychotherapy
M.A.- Adler School of Professional Psychology, Chicago, IL
B.A.- Gustavus Adolphus College, St. Peter, MN