There are times in life where we find ourselves stuck in old patterns of thinking, communicating, or acting that are no longer serving us. This can happen for many reasons. Sometimes it is a natural reaction to events or changes that are overwhelming our capacity to cope. Sometimes we may be unable to pinpoint why we are suddenly experiencing distress.
For whatever reason you are considering therapy, my role is to help guide you on your individual journey to balance acceptance of yourself as you are while also accepting that it may be time to change. I believe that everyone has the capacity to find healing from past wounds in order to find purpose, meaning, and satisfaction in their life. I work with individuals across the life span and provide services to children, adolescents, and adults. I begin by providing you or your child a place to be accepted and a safe place to consider your options and goals. I aim to make what can sometimes be an intimidating process comfortable and natural in order to help you make sense of your past and present experiences and invite a vision of how you would like your future to be. I believe that you are the expert in what works for you and will support you in removing thoughts and assumptions that may be preventing you from accessing or trusting you inner wisdom. In addition to providing relaxed conversational talk therapy based on cognitive behavioral and solution focused theories, I have specialized training in the use of non-verbal modalities. I am a nationally board certified in art therapist, which can be used as a supplement to talk therapy or I can facilitate sessions that are comprised of visual art making. Art therapy can allow you to access and express yourself without the limitations of language and anyone who is interested, even those with no former experience, training or artistic skill can benefit from this modality. In addition to art therapy, I specialize in the treatment of traumatic stress using evidenced based modalities of Trauma-Focused Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (TFCBT) and Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing (EMDR). EMDR can be used to help the brain’s natural healing process after trauma as well as can effectively address a variety of other issues that you may need help with in therapy. If you would like to learn more about Art Therapy or EMDR I encourage you, I encourage you to check out these links.
https://arttherapy.org/about-art-therapy/
https://www.emdria.org/about-emdr-therapy/
Biography
Sarah Dobens graduated with a degree in Special Education and minor in Studio Art from Goucher College in Towson, MD in 2002. She went on to earn her Masters in Expressive Therapy with a concentration in Art Therapy and Mental Health Counseling from Lesley University in Cambridge, MA in 2004. Sarah has lived in North Carolina since 2007 and taught and practiced as a therapist in the community, schools, day treatment, and local rape crisis center. Sarah is a NC state rostered TFCBT therapist, certified in Modular Approach to Therapy for Children and Adolescents with Anxiety, Depression, Trauma, or Conduct Problems (MATCH-ADTC), and is trained in EMDR and currently applying for certification. In addition to practicing as a therapist, Sarah is joining UNC-P’s counseling program as an adjunct professor and she provides clinical supervision, training, and consultation to newly licensed therapists.