Practitioner record · Checked 9 Oct 2026
Sarah Hope has been in practice 10 years and is licensed in Illinois. Sarah lists stress, Anxiety, addictions and self esteem among 22 subjects on the BetterHelp roster.
Everything below is either quoted from Sarah's own BetterHelp listing, taken from public licensing records, or written by Maker Therapy and labelled as such. Nothing here is an availability promise, a review, or a rating.
01 · Who Sarah works with
Sarah lists 16 specialisms and 6 further focus areas. Specialisms are the subjects Sarah chose to list first, which is the closest a listing gets to “this is my actual practice”.
02 · In Sarah's own words
Reproduced in full and unedited - not summarised, not tightened, not rewritten in a house voice.
I have always been an intuitive, empathic, and inquisitive human and as corny as it may sound, helping to bring “world peace” has always been a consistent life goal of mine. However, from as early as I can remember, I was always held back in my personal and professional journeys because of the multitude of thoughts and panic feelings circling throughout my head and body. My personal struggles with anxiety and depression, brought me into confronting my own demons with the help of professionals, and through that process I realized that my talents and passions aligned with helping others work though their own internal struggles-my tiny, humble contribution to bringing that world peace, I so hope and wish to provide. I realized early on that a) there is no right way to be, b) and all humans are wildly perfect for every flaw, and imperfection society may throw at us. I believe in the simple truths of respect for one another, and believe in the value of human connection, regardless of any background.
After graduating college and leaving the beautiful cocoon that is Boulder, CO, I found myself in a “quarter life crisis,” type place. I felt stuck, but ready for my next move. My passion for “bringing world peace” was still a constant thought in the back of my head. My work and passion for the homeless and individuals afflicted with addiction/severe mental illness brought me to New Delhi, India to work side by side with street children. While there, I learned to incorporate natural empathy, non-verbal communication and holistic spirituality to help nurture and teach these children daily life skills, while also building their self esteem. The trip was quite possibly the most eye opening experience of my life, and it taught me the power of trusting myself through the vulnerable experiences that life constantly throw at us.
In 2012, after this life-changing journey in India, I found myself on a new journey, in Chicago, IL with the same passions for helping those who desperately needed a voice, or an advocate. In 2013, I started my Masters degree training in Clinical Mental Health Counseling at Adler University, and found that social justice for all would be an underlying driving force for me throughout my career.
I have experience working in Drug/Alcohol Rehabilitation centers, individual and group counseling on the West Side of Chicago with homeless clients, severe mental illness, and couples and family therapy. Upon graduating with my Masters degree in 2015, I started administering Neurofeedback, as well as counseling services in a private practice in the suburbs of Chicago, IL.
I have strong experience working with all age groups (6-75 yo), with a specialty in adolescence and young adulthood. I currently work closely with all age groups, and all degrees of mental illness, with a specialty in depression, anxiety, and panic disorder. I also have experience working with the LGBTQ community and have worked closely with starting a LGBTQ services website in the Chicago land area.
I counsel from an integrative background, instilling Cognitive Behavioral Therapy techniques, Existential ideals as well as humanistic validation throughout my sessions. I believe in establishing rapport through a combination of professional boundaries and establishing a learning journey together. I tend to incorporate humor, and self-disclosure of my own journey into my sessions as well. Please feel free to ask any questions you may have, and I look forward to tackling life’s challenges together.
Sarah Hope, on the BetterHelp listing · read 9 Oct 2026
03 · What happens next
Sarah 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 Sarah's own practice, and not a promise about how quickly anything happens.
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 Sarah at this point.
BetterHelp matches algorithmically by default, so asking for Sarah 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 Sarah.
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.
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.
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.
04 · Before you commit
Built from what Sarah actually lists, so they are answerable and specific rather than generic. Maker Therapy's, not Sarah's - Sarah 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.
05 · Practical details
06 · Provenance
Sarah'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 Sarah. 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.
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