01 · Who Sharon works with

Sharon works with stress, Anxiety, parenting issues and self esteem

Sharon lists 5 specialisms and 14 further focus areas. Specialisms are the subjects Sharon chose to list first, which is the closest a listing gets to “this is my actual practice”.

02 · In Sharon's own words

What Sharon says about the work

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

As a clinical social worker in Arizona, I bring over two decades of compassionate clinical experience into my work, supporting individuals through life's complex challenges. My approach is deeply rooted in understanding the unique emotional landscapes of each person's journey, with specialized expertise in addressing depression, anxiety, stress management, and personal growth.

I focus on helping clients navigate critical life transitions, relationship dynamics, and personal healing. My therapeutic work centers on empowering individuals to develop stronger self-understanding and self-care, improve their communication skills, and cultivate meaningful connections. Whether you're struggling with isolation, seeking purpose, or working through difficult emotional experiences, I provide a supportive and affirming therapeutic environment.

My practice honors diverse experiences, with particular sensitivity to women's issues, caregiver stress, and the nuanced emotional challenges of midlife and aging. I believe in a collaborative approach that respects each person's individual path, helping clients build resilience, self-compassion, and practical strategies for emotional well-being.

Sharon Sterling, on the BetterHelp listing · read 9 Oct 2026

03 · How Sharon works

The 4 approaches Sharon lists, in plain English

These are the clinical methods Sharon lists. The descriptions are Maker Therapy's, not Sharon'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 Sharon 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.

Dialectical Behaviour TherapyDBT

A structured skills-led adaptation of CBT built around holding two things at once: accepting yourself as you are and working to change. Teaches concrete skills for distress tolerance, emotion regulation and relationships. Developed for people whose feelings arrive at overwhelming intensity, and strongest-evidenced there.

Trauma-Focused TherapyTF-CBT · trauma-informed

CBT adapted for people whose difficulty is rooted in a frightening or overwhelming event. Pacing is the point: safety and stabilisation come first, the memory itself is approached gradually and only when you are ready, and the aim is that recalling it stops hijacking the present.

04 · What happens next

From this page to a first session

Sharon 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 Sharon'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 Sharon at this point.

2. Naming Sharon specifically

   BetterHelp matches algorithmically by default, so asking for Sharon 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 Sharon.

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 Sharon

Built from what Sharon actually lists, so they are answerable and specific rather than generic. Maker Therapy's, not Sharon's - Sharon 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.

• “With 20 years in, what has changed most in how you work?”

  Long experience is only an advantage if it has been examined. This tends to surface whether it has.

• “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

Arizona

Licence

AZ LCSW LCSW-23707

Licence number

LCSW-23707

Licence expires

31 Mar 2028

NPI

1417987629

Years in practice

20

Gender

Female

Languages

English

International clients

Not accepted

Listed since

12 Jun 2026

07 · Provenance

Where every line on this page came from

Sharon'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 Sharon. 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.