Sarah Riley

I began working in mental health care in 2014 with BayCare health system while working towards my Masters degree in Social Work. I gained extensive knowledge while working in inpatient psychiatric treatment for 5 years to include diagnosing and treating psychiatric disorders, learning about community resources, and gaining valuable knowledge on medication management, as well as integrating holistic, spiritual, and creative arts into mental health treatment.

I graduated with my Masters degree in 2019 and transitioned to working in addiction treatment where I got to witness a tremendous amount of hope and growth in the substance use realms.

I currently specialize with addiction, mood disorders and emotion regulation skills. I thoroughly enjoy helping to teach people how to understand their emotional brain through the logical lens to integrate the whole being into life, rather than feeling like two selves battling or one trying to control the other.

When I work with clients, I learn what they need by creating a safe space and listening intently. I am quite laid back and an intuitive listener. I don’t take notes during our sessions to give my clients 100% presence so they feel heard. I help to feel and make sense of what my clients are feeling, to give them insight into their emotions and often what might be causing them.

Likewise, I am honest and direct, open minded, sometimes challenging and always supportive. This also allows clients to be open and honest with me, which is vital to the therapeutic relationship. My job is to help people feel safe to understand how they feel and what they want in life where they feel free and able to be their authentic selves. I find this to be the cure for addiction and mental health symptoms.

I would describe my style as Jungian based, and I specialize with deep internal, healing work.

From the first session, clients can expect to feel valued and heard which allows them to open up. The environment I create is authentic and honest. Eventually, through deep discovery, we release layers of defense mechanisms no longer needed to reveal their inner selves. They get to take that self to life outside of therapy to build more enriching relationships and fulfilling lives.

The ultimate goal is for my clients to awaken their internal, often hidden, self and learn to become their own supportive therapist who no longer needs me.