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LCSW

Sarah Spurling, LCSW

  • Experience3 years
  • LocationIllinois
  • Focus areasStress and Anxiety, LGBT, and Trauma and abuse
  • Therapy approachesInternal Family Systems and Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT)
Continue with Sarah

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About Sarah

Sarah Spurling is a licensed clinical social worker who supports adults coping with persistent stress, anxiety, trauma, grief, and questions about identity. She meets people where they are when motivation feels low, thoughts race, or daily life requires more energy than it used to.

Background and approach

Sarah emphasizes a relational, nonjudgmental approach that prioritizes emotional safety and authentic connection rather than quick fixes or pressure to change before someone feels ready. Her work often centers on helping clients better understand their internal experience, build skills that fit real-world routines, and feel more grounded over time.

She brings a mixture of therapeutic methods to sessions, adapting tools to each person’s needs and pacing. Sarah also leads autism support groups and offers targeted help for concerns such as self-esteem, attachment wounds, body image, caregiver stress, chronic illness and pain, codependency, dissociation, gender dysphoria, and related issues.

With three years of clinical experience and an Illinois LCSW license, she aims to create a steady, collaborative environment where people can explore difficult emotions and practical coping strategies. Beginning therapy with her starts with a simple intake and matching process to find an approach that fits the client’s goals and preferences.

How therapeutic approaches guide online care

Sarah integrates Internal Family Systems and Acceptance and Commitment Therapy in her online practice to help clients explore internal experiences and live by their values. Internal Family Systems (IFS) focuses on understanding different parts of the self, helping people notice and relate to internal voices with curiosity instead of judgment, which can be useful for trauma, dissociation, and emotional overwhelm. Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT) teaches skills for accepting difficult thoughts and feelings while taking committed actions toward meaningful goals, supporting work on anxiety, stress, and life transitions.

Finding the right combination of methods is collaborative work. Sarah will help clients identify which approaches and techniques fit their goals and daily life, adjusting pacing and tools as needs evolve so therapy remains relevant and manageable.

Online sessions are offered via video calls, phone, live chat, or text-based messaging to provide practical flexibility for varied schedules and comfort levels. These options make it possible to engage in ongoing therapeutic work from different locations while maintaining continuity of care and the ability to use approaches like IFS and ACT in ways that suit the client’s routine and preferences.

Frequently asked questions

What kinds of concerns does she commonly address?
She works with stress, anxiety, trauma and abuse, grief, and issues related to self-esteem, along with additional focuses such as abandonment, attachment, body image, codependency, and gender dysphoria.
How would you describe her therapeutic style?
Her approach is relational and supportive, emphasizing a safe, nonjudgmental space and collaboration rather than pressure to change quickly.
What level of experience does she have?
She has three years of clinical experience working with adults on anxiety, depression, trauma, life transitions, and neurodivergence.
What are her credentials and where is she based?
She is an LCSW licensed in Illinois with licence number IL LCSW 149030436 and practices from that state.
Does she provide services in other languages or to international clients?
Sessions are offered in English and she is not currently accepting international clients.
What session formats are offered for remote work?
She meets with clients via video calls, phone sessions, live chat, or text-based messaging depending on client preference and availability.
How is pricing handled for sessions?
Cost varies with location and therapist availability; sessions use a subscription model that can be canceled at any time.
What are the steps to begin working together?
Start by selecting the Start Therapy button, complete a short matching questionnaire, and schedule a session according to therapist availability.

Areas of expertise

Primary focus

Stress, AnxietyLGBTTrauma and abuseGriefSelf esteem

Additional focus areas

AbandonmentAttachment issuesAutism and Asperger SyndromeBody imageCaregiver issues and stressChronic pain, illness, and disabilityCodependencyCommunication problemsCoping with natural or human-caused disasterDissociationEmptinessFamily of origin issuesFirst responder issuesGender dysphoriaGuilt and shameImmigration issuesLife purposeMidlife crisisMulticultural concernsNarcissismObsessions, compulsions, and OCDPanic disorder and panic attacksPersonality disordersPhobiasPost-traumatic stressPrejudice and discriminationSeasonal Affective Disorder (SAD)SexualitySocial anxiety and phobiaSomatizationWomen's issuesWorkplace issuesYoung adult issues

Therapeutic approaches

Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT)Client-Centered TherapyCognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT)Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT)Existential TherapyMotivational InterviewingPsychodynamic TherapySolution-Focused TherapySomatic TherapyTrauma-Focused TherapyInternal Family SystemsSystemic Therapy

Experience

3+ years

Licensed

Illinois

Languages

English