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Sarah Ryan
MHC-LP
(she/her)
therapist
SPECIALIZATIONS
I provide individual counseling to clients aged 13+ and relationship counseling to couples, families, and others.
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As a former teacher and Certified Adult ADHD Specialist, I have gained a strong understanding of how neurodivergence (ADHD, Autism ,etc.) presents across the lifespan.
I am also a certified trauma-informed counselor, supporting clients healing from various types of trauma (generational, relational, etc.), PTSD, and C-PTSD.
THERAPEUTIC STYLE
BACKGROUND & TRAINING
I gained a BA in English Adolescent Education from SUNY Geneseo, as well as a MS in Literacy Studies at SUNY New Paltz. Using these two degrees, I worked as a middle school ELA and Literacy teacher for several years.
As a teacher, I gained valuable insight into the public school system, as well as the lived experience of students with learning difficulties, conduct issues, mental health issues, and peer relationship struggles. I also gained experience writing IEPs, and have sat in on many IEP meetings. I enjoy using my knowledge of the public school system to support both teens and their parents in gaining the support they need in order to achieve their full potential.
After seeing the ever-growing need for social-emotional support amongst my students, I chose to pursue a M.Ed. in Clinical Mental Health Counseling, which I obtained from Lindsey Wilson College.
Since becoming a counselor, I have completed training to become both an Adult ADHD Specialist and trauma-informed clinician. My trauma-informed training is rooted in Polyvagal theory, Somatic therapy, IFS (Internal Family Systems Therapy), DBT (Dialectical Behavioral Therapy), and EMDR (Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing)
RELATED HOBBIES & INTERESTS
As a native to the Hudson Valley, I feel most at-home and at-peace when I am out amongst the beautiful mountains, trails, creeks, and riverbanks that I grew up exploring. I also love to tap into my creativity by writing poems and making music.
As a late-diagnosed neurodivergent, queer individual with chronic illness, I pair my professional knowledge and lived experience to support my clients in learning how to best support themselves towards living their best life. I also enjoy supporting clients healing from trauma, taking a gentle approach that focuses on strengthening the mind-body connection.
With relationship partners, I favor Emotion-Focused Therapy (EFT), which benefits relationships by addressing underlying emotional needs rather than just surface conflicts. Together, we will explore the cycles you are finding yourself stuck in, and figure out how to finally start speaking each other's language.
Feeling burnt out and overwhelmed? Seeking to break generational cycles and build the life you choose for yourself? Would you like to feel more at-home in your body? Let's talk about how I can best support you in re-connecting to your most authentic self.
But most importantly, let's talk about how we can make you feel safe. I prioritize building a safe space rooted in trust and mutual respect so that my clients can feel safe to revisit their past. How can I best support you?
COMMON CHALLENGES I HELP WITH
ADHD, Autism, AuDHD, anxiety, depression, trauma, PTSD, C-PTSD, grief, relationship conflicts, family conflicts, chronic illness, chronic pain, stress, self-esteem, body image, gender identity, sexuality, life transitions, learning disabilities, non-monogamy, burnout
PHILOSOPHY
I believe that wellness and self-discovery is a lifelong journey, and that counseling can be a very supportive force in that journey when both a therapist and client dare to show up fully.
I deeply value the humanness of the folks that I work with, and I seek to honor the full spectrum of human emotions and experiences throughout the therapeutic process. I love bringing humor into my work when it’s appropriate, and I strive to create a a space in which my clients feel safe to unpack the layers of emotions relating to the greater systems they exist within.
Additionally, I strive to create a therapeutic space where all clients, regardless of their age, race, ethnicity, gender, sexuality, spirituality, or abilities feel safe and accepted. As a counselor and as a human, I am committed to continuing to educate myself on topics relating to cultural competency, and to continue to self-reflect in order to continue to understand how my privilege and identities interplay with the systems and the individuals I interact with.