Sara Dabney, LCSW

Sara Dabney is a licensed clinical social worker (LCSW) who uses practical, evidence-informed methods to help people cope with stress and anxiety. She blends cognitive behavioral ideas with mindfulness and client-centered care to create down-to-earth sessions focused on real-life change.

Sara draws on five years of clinical experience and a Master of Social Work from the University of South Florida. Her graduate work included research on HIV and post-traumatic stress symptoms and a Title IV emphasis in child maltreatment. She also has a background in yoga and massage therapy, which informs her attention to physical and emotional connection.

In sessions she mixes short skills practice with conversational check-ins. She teaches straightforward tools to manage overwhelming thoughts and to reduce reactivity. Clients may work on breathing and grounding, tracking patterns that keep problems going, and building small habits that support better moods.

Her areas of focus include trauma and abuse, depression, addictions, grief, self-esteem, relationship strain, intimacy-related concerns, and parenting stress. She also supports people facing chronic illness, cancer caregiving demands, adoption and foster care challenges, and body image or eating-related struggles.

Sara welcomes people across sexual orientations and gender identities and aims to create a respectful space. Sessions are offered in English and take place with a flexible mix of telehealth options to fit different schedules and needs.

How CBT and Mindfulness Fit into Online Therapy

CBT teaches practical ways to notice and shift unhelpful thinking and behavior patterns. Online sessions can include worksheets, thought records, and short behavioral experiments to practice between meetings. Acceptance and Commitment Therapy, or ACT, helps people clarify what matters to them and build small actions toward those values while learning to accept difficult feelings.

Sessions are collaborative. The therapist will help figure out which approach or combination of approaches fits best for the client's goals, needs, and preferences. Together they set short-term goals and try tools in session to see what feels useful, then adjust the plan as needed.

Online formats include video calls, phone sessions, live chat, and text-based messaging. Video is good for longer talk sessions and skill demonstrations. Phone sessions can be easier when bandwidth is limited or when someone prefers voice only. Live chat and text messaging work well for quick check-ins, short coaching-style support, or keeping momentum between longer sessions. These options make it easier to schedule therapy around work, caregiving, and daily life.