Sarah Callender
Clinical Director / Clinical supervisor
licensed Clinical Social Worker (#60099)
She/Her/Hers
I believe that improved mental health and well-being is possible for anyone. I am here to accompany you on a journey to unearth and gain mastery over unhelpful patterns so you can live a life of greater authenticity, meaning, and connection. I utilize holistic, strengths-based, solution-focused techniques to help you navigate daily life and times of transition, loss, or crisis. With creativity, honesty, curiosity, and humor, I create a safe, warm and empowering environment where you can share, explore and ultimately find healing.
I have worked with adolescents and adults with a history of trauma, depression, anxiety, chronic and terminal illnesses, and substance use disorders. I am EMDR (Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing)-certified and IFS (Internal Family Systems)-informed, and deeply attuned to somatic expressions of emotion. I am trained on the impact of trauma on the body and the brain, the connection between thoughts and behaviors, what motivates us to change (or stay the same), the relationship between people and their environment, and grief and loss.
While excited to help anyone manage change, learn about themselves, and live harmoniously with others, I am most passionate about supporting young folx to navigate issues of identity and transition, assisting people-pleasers and caretakers to live authentically, and helping those who identify as highly sensitive and neurodivergent cope with a world that isn’t designed for them.
Born and raised in California, I received my Master’s Degree in Social Welfare from UCLA in 2008. I have worked with youth in the foster system, adults and adolescents who are incarcerated, women who are unhoused, older adults, and survivors of intimate partner violence. I have supervised frontline workers in social service and healthcare settings and trained on crisis intervention, vicarious trauma and burnout. Using a Critical Race Theory lens, I have taught graduate students in social work on advocacy, leadership, and management at California State University, Dominguez Hills. My undergraduate degree is in creative writing and ethnic studies from the University of San Francisco.
Bodhi is a Highly-Sensitive Pup (HSP) who joins me for therapy sessions. While not a trained service dog, he is skilled at giving kisses, showing you his toys (but not sharing them) and holding space for big emotions.