01 · Who Sarah works with

Sarah works with stress, Anxiety, addictions and grief

Sarah lists 5 specialisms and 29 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

What Sarah says about the work

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

As a licensed therapist in Maryland, I specialize in supporting individuals navigating complex life transitions, personal growth, and emotional challenges. My approach centers on creating a compassionate, affirming space where clients can explore their experiences and develop meaningful strategies for healing and self-discovery.

I have extensive experience helping individuals work through stress, anxiety, grief, career difficulties, and life changes. My practice focuses on addressing a wide range of concerns, including social anxiety, relationship dynamics, self-esteem, trauma recovery, and personal empowerment.

My therapeutic style is collaborative and client-centered, drawing on evidence-based practices to support your unique journey. I'm committed to helping you develop stronger communication skills, build self-love, and overcome barriers that may be holding you back from living a more fulfilling life.

I understand that seeking therapy takes courage, and I'm dedicated to providing a supportive, non-judgmental environment where you can explore your challenges and strengths with confidence.

Sarah Johnston Margarida, on the BetterHelp listing · read 7 Nov 2026

03 · How Sarah works

The 5 approaches Sarah lists, in plain English

These are the clinical methods Sarah lists. The descriptions are Maker Therapy's, not Sarah'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 Sarah runs a session.

Client-Centred TherapyPerson-centred · Rogerian

The therapist does not steer toward a technique or a diagnosis. They offer sustained, non-judgemental attention and reflect back what they hear, on the premise that people find their own direction when they are genuinely listened to. Often what people mean by “someone who just gets it”.

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.

Mindfulness-Based TherapyMBCT

Trains attention on what is happening right now - body, breath, the thought as it arrives - so distress can be observed rather than automatically acted on. Strongest evidence is in preventing depression from recurring, and it is usually taught as a practice you keep doing outside the session.

Motivational InterviewingMI

A way of talking about change with somebody who is genuinely in two minds about it. The therapist does not argue for the change; they help you say your own reasons out loud, which is the part that predicts whether it happens. Common around substance use and health behaviour.

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.

04 · What happens next

From this page to a first session

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.

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 Sarah at this point.

2. Naming Sarah specifically

   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.

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

3 questions worth asking Sarah

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.

• “You list both Cognitive Behavioural Therapy and Client-Centred Therapy. Which do you lean on with someone like me?”

  Those two point in different directions - one structured and led by the therapist, the other led by you. The answer tells you what the sessions will actually feel like.

• “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-C

Licensed in

Maryland

Licence

MD LCSW-C 25582, IN LCSW 34011973A

Licence number

25582

Licence expires

31 Oct 2028

NPI

1215766365

Years in practice

5

Gender

Female

Languages

English

International clients

Not accepted

Listed since

9 Jun 2026

07 · Provenance

Where every line on this page came from

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 7 Nov 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.

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