Sarah O'Brien LCSW

I love 4-letter words, encourage the use, and use them myself. I'm a real-talk kind of person but couple that with warmth and understanding. I use self-disclosure more readily than perhaps my colleagues do, as I find this is the best way to build rapport, create trust and safety, and connect to our common humanity, much of what is needed in the therapy space to open up and do the work necessary to reach that transformational change you seek.

• Virginia, Licensed Clinical Social Worker, 0904008615
• Maryland, Licensed Clinical Social Worker, 26420

I worked in public mental health agencies (community services boards) in and around the Richmond, VA area for nearly 9 years before starting my private practice. I have experience working in the community and the homes of adults with severe mental illness, as well as, case management, outpatient clinician, group therapy provider, and crisis intervention provider. My experience and caseload population range from inner city to rural, outpatient and inpatient, and cover a wide variety of disorders and demographics. As I've come into my own in private practice, my specialties include anxiety disorders, substance use disorders, non-using partners, and trauma, early trauma, relational trauma, betrayal trauma and attachment trauma and honing on on brain and body-based interventions to see the most change. I am a subject matter expert in these disorders and trauma-informed care, as this is not something taught in schools but something individually learned as a clinician.