Sarah Golley, MA, LPC

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We’re Sarah Golley (she/they), a queer, biracial therapist with lived experience, specializing in Dissociative Identity Disorder, Dissociation, Complex Trauma, Autism, and LGBTQIA+. We hold our master’s degree from New York University. We had a previous career as a music educator working in special education. We work with people of all ages!

Who are we?

We hold true, first and foremost, that the most crucial element of therapy is the therapeutic relationship. We strive to create a safe, compassionate, non-judgmental environment that is full of trust where we can work as a team. We make sure to show up as our authentic, human self to create a space where you can be your authentic human self while maintaining safe boundaries. We know that this foundation of safety and relationship creates an environment where all emotions are welcome, reparative experiences are fostered, you can practice boundary-setting and relational repair, there can be exploration and challenging of your current patterns, there can be humor, celebration, and inside jokes, and we can dig into the “deep stuff” all while creating a space where being your full self is not only welcomed, but cherished.

We understand that every individual needs a different toolbox to grow. We use an integrative approach, with a core of person-centered therapy. We take a developmental approach by helping you examine what needs went unmet at different developmental stages, and work to help you fulfill those needs. We include elements of Play Therapy (for all ages), Ego-State/Parts Work, Dialectical Behavior Therapy, Expressive Arts Therapies, and Strengths-Based approaches. We incorporate sensory play, movement, somatics, therapeutic drama, and walk and talk. We care deeply about social justice and looking at you as a whole person, your intersecting identities, and how you have learned to move through the world.

How We Work

We might work well together if…

  • You want a therapist who is very active in session. We ask lots of questions, provide psycho-education, will challenge you, will encourage (but not require) the use of expressive tools, will point out conflicts between different parts, will help with identifying alters and system-mapping,

  • You want an environment that is very relaxed. We dress casually. We’re not trying to put on a performance for you. Our space allows you to sit comfortably or sprawl out if you need to. In addition to a regular sofa chair, if you come in person, our office has a floor chair, a sensory swing/ hammock chair, a spinning chair, a nugget couch, a table, a cozy floor to sit on. We have weighted blankets, stuffed animals, fidgets, pillows, etc. You get to choose where you want to be during session.

  • You want a therapist who allows you to meet your needs whether it is snacking, drinking tea, dressing comfy, fidgeting, coloring, swinging, spinning, or hiding in a fort while you talk.

  • You want non-verbal forms of communication. We utilize art of all kinds, white boards (virtual and physical), felt-boards, puppets, Sand Tray, and more!

  • You want a therapist who has been to therapy. Being in therapy is very vulnerable! We believe therapists should have experience being a therapy client. We have had both positive and negative experiences in therapy and it definitely shapes how we show up in the other chair. We are very aware of our potential impact and power dynamics because we’ve lived the other side of it. We know how difficult it is to uncover trauma and sit in feelings of shame that have been suppressed, because we’ve gone through this process ourselves. We can meet you at your depth, because we’ve done the work to meet ourselves at those depths.

  • For those with multiplicity, you want a therapist who sees all parts of you as important and worthy and welcome in the therapy space. All parts/alters are welcome. Period. Everybody in your system exists for a reason and every one of them is an important piece of your healing journey. We think it is rather silly to exclude alters from therapy, and quite frankly don’t understand why anybody operates that way. If your child alters come out during session, it will turn into a child therapy session. Your teen alters come out in session? We have plenty of experience with working with teens. Our experience makes us particularly well-suited to be attuned to the shifting needs of any system we are working with.