About Sarah
Sarah Turnpaugh is a Licensed Clinical Social Worker who offers steady, practical support for people feeling overwhelmed by stress, grief, anxiety, or life changes. She speaks plainly and listens closely to understand what is most pressing. Sessions are aimed at helping people build clearer thinking, calmer responses, and stronger coping skills.
She draws from client-centered work to make space for each person’s story and priorities. Cognitive behavioral ideas help identify thoughts and habits that keep problems going.
Background and approach
Motivational interviewing is used to clarify goals and boost determination when change feels hard. Sarah has five years of clinical experience. She has worked with adults and adolescents on issues like trauma and abuse, relationship or family conflict, parenting stress, and grief.
She also supports people facing chronic illness, caregiver strain, first responder stress, and challenges tied to career or identity. In sessions she focuses on practical steps people can use between meetings. That might mean small behavior changes, new ways of talking to yourself, or scripting conversations with others.
She keeps plans simple and realistic so progress feels doable. People who meet with Sarah can expect a respectful, calm tone and an emphasis on what they want to change. If someone is ready to try therapy, she helps them shape goals and a plan that fits their daily life.
Therapy approaches that fit into your life online
Client-centered therapy focuses on listening and understanding each person’s goals. The therapist follows the person’s lead, offering support and reflection to help them name what matters and decide the next steps. Cognitive behavioral therapy looks at the links between thoughts, feelings, and actions. It uses simple exercises and experiments to change patterns that worsen anxiety, depression, or anger.Finding the right approach is part of the work. The therapist will talk with the person about goals, preferences, and what has or hasn’t helped before. Together they choose which methods to try and adjust the plan over time so it stays useful and realistic.
Online sessions are offered by video call, phone, live chat, or text-based messaging to make therapy fit into busy lives. Video works well for deeper work and face-to-face conversation. Phone sessions can be easier when bandwidth is limited or a shorter check-in is needed. Live chat and messaging are helpful for brief check-ins, homework support, or when typing feels more comfortable. These options give flexibility for scheduling and different communication needs.
Frequently asked questions
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Specialties and expertise
Top specialties
Also works with
- Abandonment
- ADHD
- Anger management
- Attachment issues
- Body image
- Cancer
- Career difficulties
- Caregiver issues and stress
- Chronic pain, illness, and disability
- Communication problems
- Compassion fatigue
- Control issues
- Coping with life changes
- Coping with natural or human-caused disaster
- Depression
- Disruptive Mood Dysregulation Disorder (DMDD)
- Divorce and separation
- Domestic violence
- Emptiness
- Family conflicts
- Family problems
- First responder issues
- Forgiveness
- Guilt and shame
- Hospice and end-of-life counseling
- Impulsivity
- Isolation / loneliness
- Jealousy
- Panic disorder and panic attacks
- Parenting issues
- Post-traumatic stress
- Postpartum depression
- Pregnancy and childbirth
- Relationship issues
- Self esteem
- Self-harm
- Self-love
- Sexual assault and abuse
- Veteran and Armed Forces Issues
- Women's issues
- Workplace issues
- Young adult issues
Therapeutic approaches
- Experience
- 5 years
- Licensed
- Virginia
- Languages
- English