Sarah Spencer, LMSW

Location

Specialties

ADD/ADHD, Adolescent/Child Issues, Anger Management, Antisocial Personality, Anxiety, Autism/Asperger's Syndrome, Bipolar Disorder, Borderline Personality (BPD), Codependency, Coping Skills, Depression, LGBTQ+ Issues, Life Transitions, Peer Relationship Issues, Self-Esteem, Self-Harming, Sex Therapy, Suicidal Ideation, Transgender, Trauma and PTSD

About

Sarah believes understanding our own past and how it shapes our relationships with ourselves and others, as well as self-acceptance and communication are all keys to finding peace and purpose in life. All people deserve respect and Sarah has an awareness of systemic and societal factors that can affect mental health and well-being. She is neurodiversity-affirming and welcoming of all genders, sexual orientations, and relationship and family structures. Sarah has worked with clients of many different backgrounds, races, and ethnicities, and is sensitive and open to working with and learning from all.

Sarah has a laid-back, interactive style and tries to create an environment where clients can express what they truly think and feel. So many spaces in our public life have rules and norms that we have to think about, which can keep us balancing the “what” and “how” and “should” and “shouldn’t” of what we’re doing and thinking, rather than exploring the deeper “why?” Once we can let that guard down, real understanding and change can happen.

When working with young people and their parents, Sarah is interested in deeper understanding, communication, and collaboration, and comes from a cooperation vs. compliance model. She believes kids do well when they can, and therapy is a great tool to help figure out what’s in the way. When young people struggle, it's a scary time for everyone involved. Sarah finds no greater purpose in life than to be part of your support team, providing guidance, understanding, and a path to a more hopeful future.

Education & Experience

Sarah has a B.S. in Mathematics with a minor in Psychology from UMBC, and went on to earn her first master's degree, an MAT in Secondary Mathematics, leading to her first career as a high school mathematics teacher in Baltimore City. Inspired by the students, teachers, and mostly the school social work office, she went on to earn her MSW in Social Work from UMB.

Gender

Woman

Ethnicity

Caucasian

A Little Bit About Me

"Therapy isn't school! You can call me by my first name and say bad words in my office and you don't have to ask permission to go to the bathroom. Your grown-ups are included sometimes but therapy happens between you (the kid) and me (the therapist)."