Sara Sutherland

Sara Sutherland is a licensed master social worker who helps people facing stress, anxiety, grief, depression, and anger. She aims to make people feel seen and heard in sessions. Her style is warm and genuine, and she focuses on practical steps to help people change and grow.

Sara trained in social work and psychology at Hope College and completed her master of social work at Western Michigan University. She has eight years of clinical experience across private practice, health care, and hospice settings. That background shapes how she approaches health and end-of-life concerns as well as chronic illness and caregiver stress.

In sessions she uses clear, direct conversation paired with skills practice. She blends client-centered listening with tools from cognitive behavioral therapy and dialectical behavior therapy. Mindfulness and emotionally focused strategies are used when they fit the person’s goals.

Sara supports people working through relationship and intimacy issues, family and parenting concerns, addiction, ADHD, bipolar concerns, and identity issues including LGBT topics. She also helps with body image, communication problems, isolation, and forgiveness work.

Her approach aims for steady, realistic change. Sessions focus on understanding what matters most, building coping skills, and testing new ways of relating. She encourages collaboration so each person’s plan fits their life and values.

How Sara’s Approaches Translate to Online Therapy

Sara uses client-centered therapy, cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT), and mindfulness in ways that fit online work. Client-centered therapy means she focuses on listening and understanding what matters to the person. That helps set clear goals for sessions. CBT provides practical steps and exercises to change unhelpful thoughts and behaviors, which work well from one session to the next. Mindfulness therapy teaches attention and grounding skills to reduce reactivity and manage stress.

Choosing the right approach is part of the process. Sara will talk with each person about their goals and preferences, and she will collaborate on which methods to use. The plan can change as needs evolve, so clients help shape what feels most useful.

The profile does not list specific session formats, so confirm current options before booking. Online sessions can make it easier to fit therapy into a busy schedule, shorten commute time, and allow for steady check-ins between major life events. Some people find video works well for skill practice and body language cues, while phone sessions can be a simpler check-in or require less bandwidth. Discussing which option best fits daily life will be part of the first appointment.