Book a therapist or psychiatrist in Charlottesville, VA covered by Cigna

Welcome, I'm glad you're here. I wear many different hats and enjoy working with adolescents and adults to address low self esteem, communication, anxious thoughts, scattered mind, or boundary setting. I also enjoy working with individuals who may be struggling with financial stress, career fulfillment and burnout, as I believe this is inextricable linked to mental health and wellbeing. I offer a compassionate, nonjudgmental space to support you.

I have a passion for working with adolescents and their families, as well as both younger and older adults individually. I enjoy working with clientele from diverse backgrounds and I strive to create a culturally sensitive, inclusive and affirming space.

I'm a licensed professional counselor with a Master's degree in Art Therapy and Family Therapy and over 15 years experience in the field. I specialize in working with individuals facing anxiety, depression, trauma, neurodivergence, and postpartum issues. My approach incorporates training in Structural Family Therapy, Attachment Theory, EMDR, Parts Work, and Reiki, blending evidence-based practices with holistic care to support your healing journey.

I specialize in helping individuals and couples heal from trauma, attachment wounds, and relational pain through an attachment-based, experiential approach rooted in Accelerated Experiential Dynamic Psychotherapy (AEDP).

My work is informed by attachment science and neuroscience, and grounded in the belief that healing happens within safe, emotionally attuned relationships. AEDP recognizes that when emotional pain is met with genuine connection, compassion, and support, the nervous system naturally moves toward healing, integration, and greater resilience.

My name is Sara Dillon and I am a Licensed Clinical Social Worker with a certification in Perinatal Mental Health. I am licensed in Virginia and I am currently accepting new clients via telehealth. I have worked with kids and families for over a decade both in the school and in the private practice settings.

I have spent 5 years working with individuals navigating narcissistic abuse, intimate relationship conflict, complex trauma, life transitions, chronic anxiety, neurodivergence, depression, BPD, grief, bipolar disorder, addiction, vocational stress, and more. My experience has taught me that while every person’s story is unique, our need for connection and agency is universal.

​I hold a Master’s in Community Agency Counseling from Hampton University. Beyond my formal education, I am deeply committed to ongoing training in neurobiology and trauma-informed care. This means I don't just look at your thoughts—I look at how your nervous system is responding to the world around you.

Life can pull us in a hundred different directions, and sometimes it takes slowing down, getting real, and having honest conversations to find our way forward. My approach is straightforward and commpassionate - no judgment, no fluff. I meet you where you are, walk beside you through the challenges, and help you rediscover your strength, clarity, and purpose.

I'm a licensed therapist who works with people navigating anxiety, life transitions, and the general chaos that can come with being a human, especially during big seasons of change like parenthood, relationship shifts, graduations, or just feeling like you're not quite where you thought you'd be.

I'm warm, honest, and very much a real person in the room with you. Therapy with me is supportive, but also practical and grounded in real life.