How Sara works
Practical facts
- Credentials
- LMHC
- Licensed in
- Florida, Washington
- Years in practice
- 13
- Languages
- English
- Session format
- Online, through our partner platform
About Sara
Sara Van Slyke is a licensed mental health counselor with 13 years of clinical experience. She practices in Washington and works with adults on a wide range of life challenges. Sara focuses on helping people manage stress, anxiety, addictions, mood concerns, and issues with self-esteem.
Sara believes each person knows their own story best. She builds sessions around a client's strengths and choices. She helps people find practical steps they can use between meetings.
Background and approach
Many clients come for help with coping skills, motivation, and managing big life changes. Her approach blends several evidence-based methods. Cognitive Behavioral Therapy, or CBT, is used to identify patterns of thinking and behavior that keep problems going.
Dialectical Behavior Therapy, DBT, adds concrete skills for emotion regulation and handling intense feelings. Client-centered work keeps the focus on what matters most to the person in front of her. Sara also uses mindfulness and existential ideas when they fit the situation.
Mindfulness exercises help ground people when anxiety or anger feel overwhelming. Existential conversations support people facing questions about meaning, purpose, or difficult life choices. Sessions are practical and conversational.
Sara helps clients set small goals and track progress. The goal is to create manageable changes that improve day-to-day functioning and relationships. If someone is considering therapy, Sara encourages a first step of reaching out and answering a short questionnaire to match with her.
From there clients can schedule sessions in a way that fits their life.
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
- Addictions
- Self esteem
- Depression
- Coping with life changes
- Relationship issues
- Family conflicts
- Trauma and abuse
- Grief
- Intimacy-related issues
- Eating disorders
- Parenting issues
- Anger management
- Career difficulties
- Bipolar disorder
- ADHD
Approaches Sara lists
- Client-Centered Therapy
- Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT)
- Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT)
- Existential Therapy
- Mindfulness Therapy
- Motivational Interviewing
- Solution-Focused Therapy
- Internal Family Systems
Listing an approach is not evidence of training in it. This directory copies what each therapist names and does not check training records.
Approaches that translate to online work
Client-centered therapy focuses on listening and following what matters most to the person. It helps people feel heard and decide their own goals, which can be done effectively in video or phone sessions. Cognitive Behavioral Therapy, or CBT, teaches concrete tools to change unhelpful thinking and behavior. It is well suited to online work because homework, thought records, and behavior experiments can be reviewed during calls or via text-based messaging. Dialectical Behavior Therapy, DBT, adds skills for regulating emotions and improving relationships. Skills such as distress tolerance and grounding exercises can be taught in sessions and practiced between meetings with reminders sent by chat or text. Finding the right approach is part of the process. The therapist will collaborate with each person to choose methods that match their goals and preferences. This decision is revisited as progress is made and needs change. Online therapy offers practical benefits like flexibility and easier scheduling. Video calls are good for face-to-face conversation, phone sessions work when bandwidth is limited, live chat suits quick check-ins, and text messaging supports ongoing reminders and brief skill practice. These options help fit therapy into busy lives and make it easier to maintain steady support over time.Questions people ask about Sara
What concerns does she address?
Sara works with stress, anxiety, depression, addictions, self-esteem, anger, grief, trauma and related concerns such as bipolar disorder, ADHD, relationship strain, parenting and career questions.
What is her therapeutic style like?
Her style is conversational and practical. She centers clients' strengths and uses goal-focused work to build skills and track small changes over time.
How much clinical experience does she have?
She has 13 years of professional experience working in mental health settings and with people facing a range of emotional and behavioral challenges.
What credentials and location are listed?
Sara holds the credential LMHC and is licensed as a Florida LMHC and a Washington LMHC. She practices from Washington.
Which languages are supported for sessions?
Sessions are offered in English.
What session formats are available?
She offers video calls, phone sessions, live chat, and text-based messaging to fit different schedules and needs.
How does pricing work for sessions?
Cost varies with location and therapist availability. Sessions are provided through a subscription 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 based on the matching results and therapist availability.