01 · Who Sara works with

Sara works with stress, Anxiety, grief and self esteem

Sara lists 13 specialisms and 7 further focus areas. Specialisms are the subjects Sara chose to list first, which is the closest a listing gets to “this is my actual practice”.

02 · In Sara's own words

What Sara says about the work

Reproduced in full and unedited - not summarised, not tightened, not rewritten in a house voice.

I am a Licensed Clinical Social Worker and have been practicing in the Social Work field since 2007. My experience in the field of Social Work has given me the opportunity to work with children and families, at-risk homeless youth, adolescent/adult behavioral health, and senior citizens. For the past 10 years, I have been working in an intensive outpatient group therapy program designed for senior citizens struggling with depression and anxiety, however I also have experience working with individuals facing marital/relationship issues, parenting issues, and loss.

As a therapist, I will work to uplift, encourage, and motivate you to find the best solutions for yourself. I strive to be a compassionate, caring, and understanding individual who will respect you for who you are, right where you are in your journey. My goal in this profession is to help you achieve the goals you create for yourself and provide you with the accountability you need to succeed.

I am so glad we matched and I look forward to what's in store for you!

Sara Barrientos, on the BetterHelp listing · read 9 Oct 2026

03 · How Sara works

The 3 approaches Sara lists, in plain English

These are the clinical methods Sara lists. The descriptions are Maker Therapy's, not Sara's - a general explanation of what each method is, so the list means something before you have spoken to anybody. They are not a claim about how Sara runs a session.

Acceptance and Commitment TherapyACT

Rather than trying to argue a painful thought away, ACT works on loosening its grip and getting on with what matters to you anyway. Sessions spend real time naming your values, then building action around them while difficult feelings are still present.

Cognitive Behavioural TherapyCBT

Structured, present-focused work on the loop between what you think, how you feel and what you then do. Usually means noticing a thought pattern in the room, testing it against evidence, and practising something different between sessions. Among the most heavily researched talking therapies for depression and anxiety.

Solution-Focused Brief TherapySFBT

Starts from where you want to end up rather than from how you got here. Sessions look for the times the problem is already smaller and work out what is different about those, so the number of sessions tends to be short and the work concrete.

Also listed

• Existential Therapy

04 · What happens next

From this page to a first session

Sara practises through BetterHelp, so the route in is BetterHelp's. This is that sequence, written by Maker Therapy from the platform's published process - not a description of Sara's own practice, and not a promise about how quickly anything happens.

1. A questionnaire, not a booking form

   BetterHelp opens with a set of questions about what you are dealing with, what you want from therapy, and any preferences on the therapist. You are not booking Sara at this point.

2. Naming Sara specifically

   BetterHelp matches algorithmically by default, so asking for Sara is a step you have to take. There is a field for requesting a specific therapist during sign-up, and you can switch afterwards from your account. Starting from a link on this page does not by itself assign you to Sara.

3. If the caseload is full

   You will be offered somebody else rather than put on a waitlist. Worth knowing, because it is easy to assume a match is the person you asked for.

4. The first conversation

   A first session is typically history and orientation: what brought you, what has been tried, what you want to be different. It is also where the questions in the next section belong.

5. If the fit is wrong

   Changing therapist on BetterHelp does not need a reason. A first session that does not click is common and is not a verdict on therapy. That option existing is the main practical difference between a platform and a private practice.

05 · Before you commit

2 questions worth asking Sara

Built from what Sara actually lists, so they are answerable and specific rather than generic. Maker Therapy's, not Sara's - Sara has not seen them and is under no obligation to answer any of them.

• “How do you decide when someone is ready to work on a traumatic memory itself?”

  Pacing is the biggest safety question in trauma work. A clear, unhurried answer here matters more than any credential.

• “How do you handle the gap between sessions if something comes up?”

  On BetterHelp this varies a great deal by therapist. Better to know the rhythm now than to discover it on a bad week.

06 · Practical details

Credentials and licensing

Credential

LCSW

Licensed in

Illinois

Licence

IL LCSW 149.018318

Licence number

149.018318

Licence expires

30 Nov 2027

NPI

1215693254

Years in practice

13

Gender

Female

Languages

English

International clients

Not accepted

Listed since

15 May 2026

07 · Provenance

Where every line on this page came from

Sara's name, credential, state, subjects, approaches and biography are read from BetterHelp's therapist roster, which Maker Therapy re-reads once a day; this page reflects the reading taken on 9 Oct 2026. The licence number and NPI are cross-checked against public registers.

The plain-English method descriptions, the first-session walkthrough and the questions are written by Maker Therapy and labelled as such wherever they appear.

Maker Therapy is not BetterHelp, does not take bookings, and has not met Sara. There are no reviews or ratings on this page because we have no way to verify one. If you start therapy through a link here, we may be paid a commission - it does not change your price and it does not affect who appears here or in what order.

Something on this page wrong or out of date? Report it and it will be checked against the source.