Sara Van Slyke, LMHC - Therapist in Washington

About Sara

Sara Van Slyke is a licensed mental health counselor with 13 years of clinical experience. She draws on practical, evidence-based methods to help people manage stress, anxiety, depression, and addictions. She acknowledges that starting therapy takes courage and aims to make the process straightforward and respectful.

Sara believes each person knows their own story and brings strengths to therapy. She works to build on those strengths rather than replace them.

Background and approach

Sessions focus on clear goals and small, doable steps toward change. Her background includes training in client-centered care, cognitive behavioral techniques, dialectical behavior strategies, existential perspectives, and mindfulness practices. Sara mixes these approaches to match what a person needs in the moment.

She explains tools plainly and practices them together with clients. Sara practices in Washington and holds the LMHC credential. Her work covers a broad range of concerns such as parenting, family issues, relationship worries, trauma and grief.

She also addresses attention concerns, mood disorders, anger, eating issues, and career stress. Therapy sessions can be held by video, phone, live chat, or text-based messaging. The pace and structure are tuned to what each person prefers, with an emphasis on clear steps and achievable skills.

She supports people as they try new ways of coping and making decisions.

Therapeutic approaches you can use online

Sara commonly blends cognitive behavioral therapy and mindfulness-based practices in online work. Cognitive behavioral therapy, or CBT, focuses on identifying unhelpful thoughts and testing them with new, realistic behaviors to reduce anxiety and depression. Mindfulness therapy teaches simple attention and breathing skills that can ease stress and help with coping in difficult moments.

She also draws on dialectical behavior therapy, DBT, for skills in emotional regulation and distress tolerance. DBT offers step-by-step techniques for handling strong emotions and improving interactions with others. These approaches are practical and skill oriented, and they translate well to remote sessions.

Finding the right mix of methods is part of the work. The therapist will collaborate with each person to pick what fits their goals, needs, and daily life. Together they will try approaches, notice what helps, and adjust the plan as needed.

Online therapy here is offered by licensed professionals using video calls, phone sessions, live chat, or text-based messaging. These options make it easier to fit sessions into busy schedules and to keep continuity when life is unpredictable. Many people find the flexibility helps them practice skills between meetings and maintain steady progress.

Client-Centered Therapy

The direction comes from you rather than from a set programme. The therapist offers a warm, non-judgemental space to think out loud and work at your own pace. Online, this rests on the relationship rather than on being in the same room.

Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT)

CBT looks at the link between what you think, how you feel, and what you do. You work on noticing unhelpful patterns and practising steadier responses. It suits online sessions well, because much of the work happens between appointments and can be talked through from anywhere.

Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT)

Concrete skills for riding out strong emotion, tolerating distress, and handling relationships without things escalating. The skills are practised in daily life, so between-session support by message or phone fits naturally.

Frequently asked questions

What concerns does she address?

Sara works with a wide range of concerns including stress, anxiety, depression, addictions, self-esteem, grief, trauma and parenting challenges.

What is her therapy style like?

She uses a direct, practical style that builds on a person’s strengths and teaches concrete skills for managing emotions and behavior.

How much clinical experience does she have?

She has 13 years of professional experience working with people facing mood, behavior, and life transition concerns.

What are her credentials and where is she located?

She is a Licensed Mental Health Counselor - LMHC, licensed in Florida as FL LMHC MH10565 and in Washington as WA LMHC LH61544565, and practices in Washington.

Which languages are supported?

Sessions are offered in English.

What session formats are offered?

Therapy is available via video calls, phone sessions, live chat, or text-based messaging.

How does payment work?

Cost varies with location and therapist availability; sessions use a subscription that can be canceled at any time.

How do I begin working with her?

Start by selecting the Start Therapy button, completing a short matching questionnaire, and scheduling according to therapist availability.

Specialties and expertise

Top specialties

Also works with

ADHD
Anger management
Bipolar disorder
Career difficulties
Coping with life changes
Depression
Eating disorders
Family conflicts
Grief
Intimacy-related issues
Parenting issues
Relationship issues
Trauma and abuse

Therapeutic approaches

Experience: 13 years
Licensed: Florida, Washington
Languages: English

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