Sara Lopes, LMHC

Sara Lopes is a Licensed Mental Health Counselor (LMHC) who uses a practical, person-focused style of therapy. She centers sessions on what each person needs and moves at a pace that feels manageable. Her work aims to help people feel relief and build confidence in themselves over time.

Sara has a background supporting people facing homelessness, serious mental health concerns, and addiction. She also has extensive social work experience assisting low-income clients with housing stability and related challenges. That experience shapes a grounded approach to care.

In sessions she draws on Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT), motivational interviewing, narrative ideas, and solution-focused techniques. She uses these methods to help people notice patterns, set small goals, and try practical strategies between meetings. The focus is on concrete change rather than abstract talk.

Sara commonly helps with stress, anxiety, depression, addictions, trauma and abuse, grief, and challenges around relationships and intimacy. She also supports people dealing with parenting strain, anger, self-esteem, bipolar mood concerns, ADHD, and issues like panic and post-traumatic stress.

Her practice includes attention to special concerns such as domestic violence, substance use, first responder stress, pregnancy and childbirth challenges, and recovery after sexual assault. She aims to treat each person with respect, care, and compassion while walking alongside them through change.

Approaches that translate well to online therapy

Client-centered therapy focuses on listening closely and following your lead so goals reflect what matters most to you. This approach helps clarify priorities and build trust in the process. Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) looks at the links between thoughts, feelings, and behaviors and uses practical exercises to test new ways of responding to stress, anxiety, depression, and addictive urges. Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT) adds skills for emotion regulation, distress tolerance, and clear communication when feelings are intense.

Finding the right approach is collaborative. The therapist will talk with you about your goals and try techniques that fit your needs. Over a few sessions you and the therapist can see what feels useful and adjust plans or homework together.

Online therapy offers flexibility through video calls, phone sessions, live chat, and text-based messaging. Video sessions allow face-to-face work and guided skill practice. Phone sessions can be a shorter check-in or help when bandwidth is limited. Live chat and messaging let you touch base between sessions, try brief exercises, or post updates when schedules are tight. These options make it easier to keep therapy part of a busy life while still working toward change with a licensed professional.