Sara Lopes , LMHC

Sara Lopes is a Licensed Mental Health Counselor (LMHC) with eight years of experience. She focuses on helping people manage stress, anxiety, addiction, trauma, depression, relationship and intimacy concerns, and issues related to parenting and family. Sara works at a pace that feels right for each person and aims to build practical steps toward feeling better.

Before moving into online counseling she spent years supporting people facing homelessness and serious mental health and substance use concerns. That hands-on background shaped her practical, down-to-earth style and her drive to help people find stability in daily life. She brings direct experience with drug and alcohol addiction, domestic violence, and housing-related stressors.

Sara uses Client-Centered Therapy to center the person’s values and choices in sessions. She also draws on Cognitive Behavioral Therapy, Dialectical Behavior Therapy, mindfulness practices, Motivational Interviewing, and Narrative Therapy to address thinking patterns, emotion regulation, and motivation. These approaches are used to tailor the work to each person's needs.

Her goal is to help people notice relief and see shifts sooner rather than later. She focuses on building confidence and practical skills that people can use between sessions. People can expect to be treated with respect, care, and compassion while exploring what matters most to them.

Sara supports issues often faced by women, including pregnancy and childbirth concerns, sexual assault and abuse, and self-love and body image work. She offers online options including messaging and live chat for new clients, with other formats used according to availability and preference.

Therapeutic approaches for online care

Client-Centered Therapy focuses on listening closely and following the person’s own goals and values. It helps people feel heard and make choices that fit their life. Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) looks at the links between thoughts, feelings, and actions and teaches practical tools to reduce anxiety, manage mood, and change unhelpful patterns. Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT) offers skills for emotion regulation, distress tolerance, and improving relationships, which can be useful for intense emotions and self-management.

Choosing an approach is a shared process. The therapist will discuss goals and preferences, try methods that fit the person’s needs, and adjust the plan as progress is made. That collaborative style helps match methods like CBT or DBT to real-life concerns such as panic, trauma symptoms, or substance use triggers.

Online formats include video calls, phone sessions, live chat, and text-based messaging, which offer flexibility for different schedules and needs. Video or phone sessions are useful for in-depth conversations, while live chat or messaging can work for brief check-ins, motivation boosts, and homework review. These options make it easier to fit therapy into busy days and to keep consistent contact between sessions.