Sarah Scheerger, MSW, LCSW, PPS

Sarah has been providing counseling services within Ventura County for twenty years. Sarah earned her MSW from USC and her BS in psychology from UCLA. She has worked in residential treatment, county behavioral health settings, school-based, taught at the graduate school level, teaching MFT students "Family Therapy" and "Group Therapy", and provided clinical supervisions trainees/associates who are pursuing the counseling field. Sarah continues her agency work, so her private practice is small and individualized. Sarah's philosophy is as follows: in general, people manage the best they can in life with the skills they have. When life hands them something new, unexpected or upsetting, they rely on their old ways of coping, which may or may not be healthy and may or may not be the most adaptive for their current situation. Sometimes their coping skills can be broadened or modified as life presents them with new challenges. Sarah believes that the process of making changes in oneself or the way one copes often stems from feeling "heard" by a nonjudgmental other, someone who will be present with unconditional positive regard. It is often helpful for people to share their experiences, thoughts and feelings out loud, as it may help them integrate their life experiences with their images of who they are as people. Through therapy they may come to understand, with the insights of a nonjudgmental therapist, why they are who they are, and how to be who they want to be. This level of understanding may help them alter behaviors they don't see as productive/healthy and may also help them make healthier choices for themselves in the future. Often the way people think impacts how they behave as well as how they feel about themselves. In the process of therapy, when people share their thoughts and feelings, the therapist is often able to point out ways of thinking that may not be helpful. Making modifications in the way one thinks may lead to positive changes in behaviors and feelings about oneself. Sarah provides a safe, empathic environment in which clients can process their life experiences, thoughts and feelings. She shares with clients her insights about patterns, identifies destructive ways of thinking, as well as strategizes how to make improvements. Sarah sees therapy as a collaborative process. She helps clients think through their choices and possible outcomes rationally so that they can make informed choices with which they can live, and whether or not they want to make any changes. Sarah begins her work by discussing what goals the clients have for their counseling experience and what they are hoping to gain from the process. To learn more, please reach out to Sarah.