About Sarah
Sarah Gillespie is a Michigan-based psychologist with 26 years of experience helping people manage stress and anxiety. She focuses on practical steps that help people feel steadier and more in control. Her approach is straightforward and compassionate, and she supports clients who want clearer goals and stronger coping skills.
Sarah emphasizes using a person's strengths to make change. She asks what is already working and builds from there. That makes progress feel more achievable and less overwhelming for many people.
Background and approach
She draws on several evidence-informed approaches, including client-centered methods, cognitive behavioral ideas, dialectical behavior strategies, motivational interviewing, and solution-focused techniques. Those tools are used to address concerns such as depression, grief, addictions, panic, social anxiety, and workplace stress. Sarah also works with worries tied to identity and life transitions.
Areas listed in her practice include LGBT concerns, gender dysphoria, first responder issues, and hospice and end-of-life counseling. Other focus areas include parenting stress, sleep problems, hoarding, and career or purpose questions. Sessions move at a practical pace.
Sarah offers direct feedback when asked and helps people problem-solve when obstacles arise. She aims to help people set realistic goals and celebrate progress along the way.
Therapeutic approaches for online care
Client-centered work puts the person’s priorities first and focuses on listening and building rapport. This approach helps people who need a respectful space to sort through feelings, identity concerns, or decisions about life direction.Cognitive Behavioral Therapy, or CBT, looks at thoughts and behaviors that keep problems going and teaches practical skills to change them. It is often used for anxiety, panic attacks, sleep issues, and depression to reduce distress and improve daily functioning.
Dialectical Behavior Therapy, DBT, offers tools for emotion regulation, distress tolerance, and better interpersonal skills. It can be useful for strong mood swings, anger, and coping with high-stress jobs or compassion fatigue.
Choosing the right approach is part of the work. The therapist will talk with the client about goals, preferences, and what has or hasn’t helped before. Together they decide which strategies to try and adjust them as progress is made.
Online sessions are offered by video calls, phone sessions, live chat, or text-based messaging to fit different needs. Video is good for in-depth sessions, phone can work when bandwidth is limited, live chat suits brief check-ins, and messaging lets people reflect between meetings. These options make it easier to fit therapy into a busy life and maintain regular contact with a licensed professional.
Questions people ask
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How much clinical experience does she have?
What credential does she hold and where is she located?
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What session formats are offered?
How are fees and scheduling handled?
What this therapist works with
Most often
Also listed
- Addictions
- Anger management
- Autism and Asperger Syndrome
- Bipolar disorder
- Career difficulties
- Coaching
- Compassion fatigue
- Coping with life changes
- Depression
- Drug and alcohol addiction
- First responder issues
- Gender dysphoria
- Hoarding
- Hospice and end-of-life counseling
- Life purpose
- Panic disorder and panic attacks
- Parenting issues
- Relationship issues
- Self esteem
- Sleeping disorders
- Social anxiety and phobia
- Trauma and abuse
- Women's issues
- Workplace issues
Therapeutic approaches
- Experience
- 26 years
- Licensed
- Michigan
- Languages
- English
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