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.