Sarah Cardenas

My name is Sarah Cardenas. I am a licensed clinical social worker (LCSW-C) based in central Maryland, and the founder of Two Sparrows Counseling of Maryland. I primarily work with children ages 5 and up, moms, and individuals navigating recovery from substance use, gambling, or other addictions.

I also offer Christian counseling for clients who would like to incorporate their faith into our work together.

As a mom myself, I know how important it is for kids to have the support they need to grow - and how easily moms' own needs get pushed to the back burner while they carry so much for everyone else. And having grown up in central Maryland, I've seen firsthand what addiction can do to a community. Helping people fight their way back from it isn't just professional work for me - it's personal calling.

My approach is strengths-based and client-centered, meaning I meet people where they are, not where anyone thinks they should be. With children, I lean on play-based therapy, using play, art, story-telling, and movement to help them express what words alone can't reach. With teens and adults, I most often draw on Dialectical Behavioral Therapy (DBT), motivational interviewing (MI), and Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT) to build practical skills alongside real, honest connection.

Clients often tell me I'm warm, genuine, and easy to talk to. My hope is that from our very first session, you feel like you've found a safe, steady place to land.

For children: I prefer first to meet with the child's parent(s) or guardian(s) on their own to review paperwork, including informed consent and mandatory reporting guidelines, as well as talk through your child's history and what's bringing them in, from your perspective. From there, I meet with your child individually. We go over an age-appropriate version of informed consent and confidentiality together, and then spend our time simply getting to know each other — no pressure, just building the kind of trust good therapy is built on.

For teens and adults: We'll start by reviewing paperwork, including informed consent and mandatory reporting guidelines. From there, I'll ask questions to get to know you — your background, your health, your life, and what's bringing you in right now. Throughout, my goal is to start building the kind of genuine rapport that makes the rest of our work together possible.