Sara Dabney, LCSW

Sara Dabney is a licensed clinical social worker (LCSW) who uses practical, evidence-informed approaches to help people manage stress, anxiety, depression, and trauma-related concerns. She draws on talking, skill-building, and mindfulness exercises so sessions feel straightforward and useful. Sara welcomes people of all genders, sexual orientations, and faiths and aims to create an accepting space for honest work.

Sara began her professional path as a yoga teacher and a licensed massage therapist, which shaped her interest in body-based and mind-body approaches. She earned a Master of Social Work from the University of South Florida, where she focused on child maltreatment and contributed to research on HIV and PTSD symptoms.

In session she blends cognitive behavioral tools with mindfulness practices and client-centered care. That means she and the person in therapy look at thoughts and behaviors together, practice grounding or breathing methods, and tailor the pace to what the person needs. Motivational interviewing is part of her approach for people facing substance use or behavior change.

Sara has five years of clinical experience working with a broad range of concerns, including trauma and abuse, relationship and intimacy issues, grief, addictions, and body-image and eating-related problems. She also supports people navigating parenting, adoption and foster care matters, chronic illness, and caregiver stress.

She sees therapy as a collaborative process. People can expect clear practical strategies, short mindfulness practices during sessions, and a focus on skills they can use between meetings.

How therapeutic approaches translate to online care

Acceptance and Commitment Therapy, or ACT, focuses on helping people notice unhelpful thoughts and choose actions that match their values. It can be useful for anxiety, depression, and persistent stress when someone wants a values-based plan. Cognitive Behavioral Therapy, or CBT, breaks problems into thoughts, feelings, and behaviors and teaches specific skills to change patterns that keep problems going. It often helps with anxiety, depression, and eating-related concerns.

Finding the right approach is part of the work. The therapist will collaborate with each person to match methods to their goals, symptoms, and daily life. That means trying practical tools, checking what helps, and adjusting the plan together over time.

Confirm the current session options before booking so you know what formats are offered. Online sessions can make it easier to fit therapy into a busy schedule, require less travel time, and allow for shorter check-ins when needed. They also let people practice mindfulness or grounding skills in the context of their regular routines and bring real-life situations into sessions for problem solving.