With over 13 years working in the mental health field, Sarah Nealy has her second Master’s degree in Clinical Mental Health Counseling and works as a Mental Health Therapist in Arlington, VA as well as an Adjunct Professor in Psychology at Marymount University. With a person-centered, emotion-focused approach aimed at finding solutions, healing trauma, building resilience, improving interpersonal relationships, connecting the mind and body, and working through triggers and past pain, Sarah wants her clients to feel heard, understood, and valued in the therapeutic space and in their lives. She favors a Gestalt, person-centered approach with solution-focused driven goals. Sarah focuses on identifying maladaptive behaviors and working towards changing the thought process behind them to create healthier behavioral patterns.
Sarah offers a wide array of experiences working with different mental health populations and issues. However, she currently specializes in self-esteem, recovery from sexual trauma and other trauma, body image concerns, resilience building, depression/anxiety, mindfulness, interpersonal relationships, LGBTQIA+ issues, and women’s issues including perinatal anxiety, depression, and trauma. Sarah has prior experience working in eating disorder clinics, substance abuse rehabilitation programs, post-incarceration reform programs for ex-felons, programs for clients with severe mental illness, and working with clients struggling with interpersonal relationships, depression, and anxiety.
Sarah Nealy is certified and trained in SYMBIS premarital and pre-engagement assessment to provide couples of all faiths, races, and genders with a comprehensive view of their strengths and areas of continued growth going forward. The goal of the SYMBIS assessment is to save your marriage before it starts by asking the tough questions, but it is not limited to only couples seeking marriage and can be utilized in any long-term romantic commitment. This assessment can be most effective in couples considering engagement or not, as well as couples already engaged to be married. In approximately 3-5 sessions, Sarah Nealy will help couples review their results and provide them with the tools they need to make an informed decision about lifelong commitment and growth with a partner.
Sarah is a happily married mother, native to Arlington, VA and identifies as a queer woman. She is also an active volunteer in her community and has written over 20+ bestselling fiction novels. Sarah is licensed in the state of Virginia #0704013312 and is under the supervision of Dr. Tracey Bushkoff, EdD, LPC, NCC, ACS (License #0701001581).
Specialties:
- LGBTQIA+ Issues
- Maternal Support
- Premarital Assessment
- Sexual Trauma Recovery
- Depressive Disorders
- Anxiety Disorders
- Grief & Loss
- Interpersonal Relationships
- Life transitions & Stress
