Marriage & Family Therapist | Career Conversations

Summary

Sarah Harris, a licensed marriage and family therapist, registered play therapist, and board-certified telemental health provider, shares her journey from pre-med to psychology, driven by a passion for helping others. She discusses her experiences in various therapeutic settings, including a pain and wellness clinic and community agency, and her transition to a virtual private practice. Harris emphasizes the importance of being open to opportunities, continuous learning, and maintaining a balance between work and personal life, offering insights into her entrepreneurial spirit and the challenges of running a business while being a woman of color.

Takeaways

• 🎓 Sarah Harris is a licensed marriage and family therapist, a registered play therapist, and a board certified telemental health provider.
• 👶 She specializes in working with children from four years old and up, as well as couples and families.
• 🌟 Sarah is also a WMFT approved supervisor, which means she has additional training to mentor and supervise other therapists and students.
• 🔄 Initially, she pursued pre-med but switched to psychology after realizing her passion for the field.
• 🎨 In her early career, she used art therapy to help individuals with chronic pain manage anxiety and depression, which led to significant improvements for many.
• 🏫 She has experience teaching psychology at the college level and found it to be a rewarding experience.
• 🏠 As a therapist, she has worked in various settings, including in-home therapy for children and teenagers with ADHD, grief, and other challenges.
• 🚀 In 2014, Sarah started her own private practice, Serenity and Grace Therapeutic Services, which initially began as a solo practice and later grew into a group practice.
• 🌐 In 2019, she transitioned her practice to a virtual model after relocating to Georgia, expanding her services to multiple states.
• 💼 Sarah offers consultations to therapists looking to grow their online practices and coaches on working with children in an online setting.
• 🌱 She emphasizes the importance of being open to opportunities and having a growth mindset, which has led her to become an entrepreneur and leader in her field.

Q & A

What are Sarah Harris's professional qualifications?

Sarah Harris is a licensed marriage and family therapist, a registered play therapist, a board certified telemental health provider, and a WMFT (American Association of Marriage and Family Therapy) approved supervisor.

What does being a registered play therapist entail?

Being a registered play therapist means Sarah has additional training and experience working with children from as young as four years old, utilizing play as a therapeutic method.

How did Sarah's educational path change after starting with pre-med?

Sarah initially pursued pre-med but switched to psychology after realizing her passion for it. She found she enjoyed giving advice and helping others with their problems, which led her to psychology.

What was Sarah's first job after graduating from her master's program?

Sarah's first job was at a pain and wellness clinic where she used art therapy to help individuals manage anxiety and depression related to chronic pain.

How did Sarah's role evolve at the pain and wellness clinic?

At the clinic, Sarah observed that after an eight-week art therapy program, many patients were able to manage their conditions better, some reduced or stopped their pain medications, and a few returned to work.

What was Sarah's experience as a college psychology instructor?

Sarah briefly worked as a college psychology instructor after relocating to Texas with her husband. She enjoyed teaching but needed a job in the mental health field due to her provisional licensing status in the new state.

What was Sarah's role as an intensive in-home team lead?

As an intensive in-home team lead in Raleigh, Sarah led a team providing therapy to children and teenagers in their homes, addressing issues like ADHD, grief, loss, and trauma.

When and why did Sarah start her own private practice?

Sarah started her private practice, Serenity and Grace Therapeutic Services, in 2014. It began as a solo practice but later expanded to a group private practice.

How did Sarah's business model change after relocating to Georgia?

After relocating to Georgia, Sarah transitioned her business to a virtual private practice and became a board certified telemental health provider to better understand and provide online therapy.

What additional services does Sarah offer to other therapists?

Sarah provides consultations to therapists who want to grow their online therapy practices and coaches them on working with children online.

What challenges does Sarah face as an entrepreneur and a mother?

Sarah faces challenges in finding balance between her work and personal life, especially as a mother of two children and managing a business with ongoing demands.

How does Sarah approach personal and professional development?

Sarah approaches personal and professional development through reading, learning from role models, attending webinars, and collaborating with other business owners to sharpen her entrepreneurial skills.

Outlines

00:00

🎓 Sarah's Therapeutic Journey and Early Career

Sarah Harris introduces herself as a licensed marriage and family therapist, registered play therapist, and a board certified telemental health provider. She discusses her educational background, including her initial pursuit of pre-med before switching to psychology, driven by her passion and natural inclination to help others. Sarah shares her experience working with various populations, such as couples, families, and children, and her role as a supervisor and mentor for other therapists and students. She recounts her first job at a pain and wellness clinic, where she utilized art therapy to help patients manage chronic pain, anxiety, and depression, leading to significant improvements in their mental health and quality of life.

05:02

🏠 Intensive In-Home Therapy and Private Practice Evolution

Sarah details her work as an intensive in-home team lead, providing therapy to children and teenagers in their homes, addressing issues like ADHD, grief, loss, trauma, and school refusal. She was promoted to a clinical supervisor, overseeing other therapists in the program. In 2014, Sarah started her own private practice, 'Serenity and Grace Therapeutic Services', beginning as a solo practice and later expanding to a group practice. However, a relocation to Georgia in 2019 led her to transition her practice to a virtual model and further her training to become a board certified telemental health provider. She now consults with therapists looking to grow their online practices and serves clients across multiple states, emphasizing the importance of high-quality online therapy services.

10:04

💼 Embracing Entrepreneurship and Overcoming Challenges

Sarah reflects on her unexpected path to entrepreneurship, highlighting the importance of being open to opportunities and learning from various experiences. She discusses the challenges of balancing her roles as a business owner, therapist, and mother, especially during the COVID-19 pandemic. Sarah emphasizes the need for intentional time management and the importance of mindset and personal growth. She shares her approach to skill development, including reading, webinars, and networking with other business owners. Sarah also talks about the unique challenges faced by women and women of color in entrepreneurship and the importance of confidence and self-belief. She invites viewers to visit her websites for more information and ends with a call for questions and further engagement.

Keywords

💡Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist

A licensed marriage and family therapist is a professional who has met the educational and experiential requirements set by a state licensing board to practice marriage and family therapy. In the video, Sarah Harris identifies herself as one, emphasizing her qualifications in working with couples and families to address and treat a range of mental health issues. This role is central to the video's theme of professional development and service in the field of mental health.

💡Registered Play Therapist

A registered play therapist is a professional who has specialized training to use play as a therapeutic medium, particularly with children. Sarah mentions this credential, highlighting her ability to work with children from as young as four years old. This keyword is significant as it underscores her expertise in child psychology and the unique approach of using play as a therapeutic tool.

💡Telemental Health Provider

A telemental health provider is a mental health professional who delivers services remotely through digital platforms. Sarah discusses becoming a board-certified telemental health provider, which is a direct response to the growing need for online therapy services. This term is pivotal in the video as it marks a significant shift in her career towards embracing digital platforms for therapy.

💡WMFT Approved Supervisor

The term 'WMFT Approved Supervisor' refers to an individual approved by the American Association for Marriage and Family Therapy (AAMFT) to supervise and mentor other therapists and students. Sarah's role as a supervisor is highlighted, showcasing her leadership and contribution to the professional development of others in the field.

💡Chronic Pain

Chronic pain is a persistent pain that lasts beyond the expected period of healing. In the script, Sarah recounts her work at a pain and wellness clinic, where she used art therapy to help individuals manage anxiety and depression associated with chronic pain. This keyword is a central theme in illustrating the diverse applications of therapy and Sarah's experience in treating complex conditions.

💡Cognitive Behavioral Therapy

Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) is a therapeutic approach that focuses on changing negative thought patterns and behaviors. Sarah mentions providing CBT, indicating her use of evidence-based practices in her therapeutic work. This keyword is relevant as it exemplifies the specific therapeutic modalities she employs.

💡Provisional Licensing

Provisional licensing refers to a temporary license granted to professionals who are in the process of meeting the full licensing requirements. Sarah discusses being provisionally licensed, which is a stepping stone to full licensure and signifies her commitment to professional growth and compliance with regulatory standards.

💡ADHD (Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder)

ADHD is a neurodevelopmental disorder characterized by inattention, hyperactivity, and impulsivity. Sarah mentions working with children diagnosed with ADHD, demonstrating her experience in addressing this common childhood condition and her role in providing specialized therapy for such cases.

💡Entrepreneurship

Entrepreneurship refers to the process of starting and running a business. Sarah's journey includes starting her own private practice, which is a significant aspect of the video's narrative. It illustrates her transition from an employee to a business owner and the entrepreneurial spirit that drives her professional endeavors.

💡Mindset

Mindset refers to a person's perspective and attitude towards certain aspects of life. Sarah emphasizes the importance of mindset work, especially for women and people of color in business. This keyword is integral to the video's message, as it highlights the psychological and emotional aspects of professional development and overcoming limiting beliefs.

💡Time Management

Time management is the ability to organize and prioritize tasks effectively. Sarah discusses the challenge of balancing her work and personal life, particularly in the context of remote work and family responsibilities. This keyword is relevant as it addresses a common struggle for professionals and underscores the importance of effective time management skills.

Highlights

Sarah Harris is a licensed marriage and family therapist, registered play therapist, and board certified telemental health provider.

She has experience working with children from four years old and up.

Sarah is also an approved supervisor for the American Association of Marriage and Family Therapy (AAMFT).

Initially, she pursued pre-med but switched to psychology due to her passion for the field.

She emphasizes the importance of volunteering and internships to explore career fields.

Sarah's first job after her master's was at a pain and wellness clinic, using art therapy to help manage anxiety and depression.

She has worked with individuals dealing with chronic pain, anxiety, and depression.

Sarah taught psychology at a college level before moving to Texas.

In North Carolina, she worked with a community agency, providing intensive in-home therapy for children and teenagers.

She was promoted to clinical supervisor, managing a team of therapists.

In 2014, Sarah started her own private practice, Serenity and Grace Therapeutic Services.

Her practice initially began as a solo venture but later expanded to a group private practice.

In 2019, Sarah transitioned her practice to a virtual model due to a relocation to Georgia.

She became a certified telemental health provider to better understand online therapy.

Sarah now provides consultations to therapists looking to grow their online therapy practices.

She coaches on working with children online, a field that has grown rapidly due to COVID-19.

Her virtual practice serves clients in multiple states, including North Carolina, Georgia, Florida, California, and Utah.

Sarah emphasizes the importance of being open to opportunities and learning from various experiences.

She shares her journey from not planning to be an entrepreneur to running a successful business.

Sarah discusses the challenges of balancing work and personal life, especially as a mother during COVID-19.

She offers advice on time management and the importance of planning to maintain balance.

Transcripts

[Music]

hi everyone my name is sarah harris

i'm a licensed marriage and family

therapist and i'm also a registered play

therapist

as well as a board certified telemental

health provider

and a licensed marriage and family

therapist i work a lot with couples

families and a registered play therapist

that just means that i have additional

training

and experience working with children

from as young as

four years old all the way up um i'm

also a wmft

approved supervisor so wmft meaning

the american association of marriage and

family therapy

and so i received additional training to

be able to supervise and mentor other

therapists

um to mentor students who are studying

marriage and family therapy and also to

mentor provisionally licensed therapists

provisionally licensed that just means

those who are on their way to becoming

fully

licensed

um when i started i did not start with

my bachelor's in psychology

when i migrated from trinidad to new

york i actually came with the intention

of um studying to be a doctor right

that's what my parents

wanted and so i started on a path to be

to do pre-med however after about a year

of studying that i just realized it was

not something that i

wanted my heart was just with psychology

i was really really curious about

psychology and i've always had a passion

for it

i remember internet growing up people

always telling me

that i was good at giving advice and

they wanted to tell me their problems

and i just

naturally enjoyed it and so after

doing pre-med for about a year i decided

that

i did not want to do it anymore and i

switched majors to

um to psychology my parents were not

thrilled about it

but it was just one of the things those

things where i had to be honest with

myself

about what i really wanted to do and i

had to imagine where can i see myself in

the future what did i really really

enjoy doing and wanted to get paid for

so look for opportunities where you can

volunteer

where you can get a taste of what it's

like to be in the field that you're

interested in

before you actually go deeper into it

so after graduating from my master's

program one of the first jobs

that i had was at a pain and wellness

clinic

and so i worked with a lot of people who

um

they work as comp cases so that means

that they got injured on

their work site and it

developed into chronic pain and so they

were on most of them they were unable to

return to work

they lived in pain there's extreme pain

there were a lot of a lot of them were

on pain medications

and so with that i saw a lot of anxiety

a lot of deep depression

and so my job there was to use art to

help them manage the anxiety to help

them manage their depression

it was an eight-week program and at the

end of the eight weeks they

had the opportunity to graduate and so

with using

art as in therapy so it wasn't talk

therapy was more art therapy that i was

doing with them for eight weeks

they were able to better manage their

depression they were better able to

manage their anxiety

and for many of them they either stopped

the medication that they were taking

this really

um strong and serious pain medication

that they were taken

or they were able to decrease it some of

them were able to return to work

so it was really powerful just to be

part of that experience with them

um and um at times i i still do a little

bit of work with this company and so

often they're based in california

and i do cognitive behavioral therapy um

with them um and moving along

afterwards after that i took on a

really brief position as a college

psychology instructor

and one of the reasons i did that this

was i had relocated to

texas um with my husband who was in the

military

and when moving from state to state many

times with

counseling or therapy you have to be

licensed in the state that you

are in in order to provide therapy and

so when i just moved of course i wasn't

licensed in that state so i couldn't

really continue with providing therapy

but i knew i still wanted to stay in

that mental health field

and so i took on a job teaching

psychology

to college students i loved it i love

teaching

um and it's something i hope to maybe do

again one day

and then after that i settled in

north north carolina for a while and one

of my first jobs

there was working with a community

agency

and this was where i was not fully

licensed yet as a marriage and family

therapist

i was what is called provisionally

licensed so that's

where i was licensed and i worked on the

supervisor

but i was accumulating hours so that i

could eventually become fully licensed

and that usually takes about two to

three years to become fully licensed

but with this position and i was in

raleigh working with this community

agency and my position was an intensive

and home

team lead another really great

experience

i was the lead of a team of about three

or four

people who were there and so we would go

into

the homes of children and teenagers go

into their homes and provide

intensive therapy so we would be there

for maybe two hours at a time

sometimes it's twice a week that will be

there just providing family therapy

and individual therapy sometimes we had

to go to their school

and find an office in their school to

provide services to them

but with this with these kids i saw a

lot of

attention deficit hyperactivity disorder

or adhd

add oppositional defiant disorder odd

there was a lot of grief and loss a lot

of trauma

anxiety depression some of them were

just refusing to go to school

and so these were some of the issues

that we came upon with working with

these kids

and while i was there i got promoted to

being the clinical supervisor

and as the clinical supervisor i was

monitoring all of the other

intensive in-home team therapists and

just kind of managing that program

in um in 2014 i started my own

private practice so now um it's called

serenity and grace therapeutic services

and

um it started off as a solo practice i

thought okay i'll just do this

on my own have my caseload and and do my

thing but then eventually i decided to

bring some therapists on board with me

and we had a group private practice um

there for several years

in wake forest and that was

um 2-4 2014 and then last year 2019

i made a big shift with my business um

and this happened

when my husband we took on a new job for

him that took us to

georgia and so when we decided that we

were going to relocate

as a business owner i had to just really

think carefully

about what my options were and what did

i want to do with my business like there

were many choices

um that i had um

and so ultimately after a lot of

reflection i decided that yes i still

wanted to keep my business open

but i was going to change the model that

i had for it

and that's when i transitioned last

summer

to to it being a virtual private

practice

and so um it's but that's when i also

decided to do additional training so i

could better understand

what online therapy is all about because

before covert 19

you know online therapy was not really

very popular it was there but it was not

very well known there weren't a lot of

research done into it to see how

effective it is

and so i did my certification to become

a board certified telemental health

provider

and um and now i provide consultants to

therapists who want to grow their own

online therapy practice

i coach them on on how to do that i also

coach them on how to work with children

online which is another really

interesting area that um because of

covet 19 it's it's developed and grown

faster than expected um and so i have my

virtual

practice and serves several states

we we provide services in north carolina

georgia

florida and california and utah

um and there's so many ins and outs with

running a practice online

but it's something that i'm very

passionate about and very passionate

about providing high quality service

with online therapy

and so along the way even though i

didn't really plan to be an entrepreneur

um it evolved as i just continued to

remain

open to to opportunities so before i had

mentioned

you know being open to internships being

open to volunteering and it's the same

way

just to be open to to where your career

might lead you

because you might start at the beginning

thinking oh i am going to work in a

hospital

right but then yes you can have that as

your guide and as a focus but just be

open to other opportunities that might

present

themselves because we don't really know

what we don't know until

maybe we get there or we learn more

later on

and so um and so you know

opening up my practice it started when i

was at the group

private practice so i was actually

working for someone else

and i was content with that for a while

but then eventually

um i was doing really well and having my

own clients

and people just finding out about me

independently from the group practice

and someone actually suggested hey why

don't you just start your own business

and it was i was very hesitant at first

you know it's a scary thought especially

when you weren't really planning to do

it i did not go to school from

my mba or anything like that um

and then i also found that in my

master's program you know they didn't

really teach a whole lot about running a

business

and the thought was very intimidating

but i was curious about it and i think i

had that entrepreneurial spirit in me

where i wanted to i wanted to give back

and sometimes when you're working for

someone else you're limited you're

restricted by what you can do

and it's almost like you're working

towards someone else's vision

and i wanted to be able to have my own

vision have my own dreams

for how i wanted to share and inspire

others

and and be of service to others and i

started off with just kind of tip to it

into the idea of having my own business

so just very tentatively

i got into it and that over time

uh grew like i said i didn't plan to

have a group private practice

i started off just as a solo private

practice but then

once i saw that the doors were opening

and i continued to reflect and pray

and i felt like i was being led um in

that direction

so by being by staying open i was able

to just continue to take those steps

towards

um growing my own business but with

you know but with growing your business

there's a lot that comes into play

especially as a woman

especially as a woman of color i had to

be

more aware of what role i wanted to play

in

in the community that i was in so i was

in wake forest i specialize in

child therapy and this was what i became

known for

but in addition to having a passion

which is also really important i also

knew that i had to master my skills

right so i couldn't just jump into

running a business and just thought i

could just

wing it right i had some natural skills

which is part of my personality i had

some natural skills such as being

structured and being organized

but i knew that there was a lot that i

did not know and i had to

also be someone who was willing to learn

um

i did not want to go to school to study

for an mba or anything like that if i

had a time it probably would

but i decided to get training in other

ways

so some of the ways i sharpened my

skills as an entrepreneur

is through a lot of reading i found

people online who i admired who i still

had their own business

i loved how they did it i found people

who

were able to combine their passion and

spirituality

with business and i sort them out as

role models even if it's from a distance

i read their books i did every free

webinar that they were offering

and i paid for some um but those

were just some of the things that i

still continue to do i'm always always

always

learning and trying to sharpen my skills

with it

um and then something else i also did

was just collaborating with others

so uh networking with other business

owners and just learning from each other

asking questions

um and just sharing sharing knowledge

but it's so important to just stay on

that path

um and to really really work on on the

mindset

there's so much to it um the mindset

work

personal work is so important um and

again especially as me as

a woman as a woman of color sometimes we

find ourselves just struck in these

uh limiting beliefs or maybe i didn't

really see

any people looking like like me who were

doing what i was doing

but i had to still have that confidence

and certainty that i wanted to do more

one of the greatest challenges that i

have and i think that it's ongoing is

trying to find balance

with things because there's always

something to do there's always something

lingering some email that needs to be

attended

some phone calls to return just there's

always something to do

and it's a challenge trying to balance

that especially as a mom

um with two kids who want my attention

especially now during corporate 19 when

they're home all the time they're not in

school during the day

and so my time management skills have

had to just be very very

intentional and so one of the things i

do is

the night before or the weekend before i

plan

how i'm gonna spend my day so i'm gonna

end

here my website is on the screen sg

therapeutics services dot com that

and that's the website for my group

private practice and then i also have a

website just for myself

sarah g harris.com if you have any

questions

you're welcome to just send me an email

[Music]

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