My work

Life challenges us with stresses and problems throughout our life cycle, the way we respond to those challenges often is dependent on who we are and how we perceive our situation. I believe that looking at our experiences in our family of origin is crucial in coming to understand why we do the things we do and how we came to be who we are. Gaining insight into these areas not only helps us make sense out of our thoughts, feelings and behaviors, but also frees us to choose who we want to become.

My mission is to help people with personal growth and continue living or achieving a happier and more successful life. I treat individuals with depression, loss, grief, anxiety, relationship issues, low self esteem, sexual and emotional abuse and help them heal unresolved wounds from childhood and achieve greater self-awareness and self esteem. I have also been working with clients with life transitions such as, pre-marital counseling, divorce, birth of a child or death of a loved one.

I help couples create more satisfying relationships by improving their communication skills, reducing conflict, examining underlying issues and facilitating deeper empathy and understanding of one another.

I also support and coach parents who are struggling with the challenges of parenthood and improve their communication with their children to establish better relations with them.

A great deal of my practice involves working with children, and teens through different challenges such as anger, ADHD, depression, lack of impulse control, inability to follow direction as well as poor social skills and peer problems.

In addition, I lead discussion groups for teens as well as support groups for mother with teenage sons.

I have extensive training in the following areas

* Individual Therapy
* Couples Therapy
* Family Therapy
* Children and adolescent Therapy
* Teen Groups
* Parents Groups

What would therapy be like with Sarah Omid ?

Individual
Because each individual is so unique and the reasons for attending therapy are so different, it is difficult to be specific about any therapeutic intervention.

In general, I work in a non-directive manner and assist my clients by being nurturing and unconditionally respecting and accepting them.  I start by addressing what it is that is troubling you or if you can’t pinpoint it, we start with what ever is on your mind.  My job will be to create a safe environment to recognize your uniqueness and understand your dilemmas.  As you are moved to open up more we will collaborate in finding meaning in what you share and in doing so uncover what is authentic, creative, joyful and loving inside of you.

Couples
Many couples never come to therapy precisely because they fear that opening things up would worsen the situation or even destroy the relationship.  They realize that they may want to say things to each other that they have been afraid to say for years, or one or both may fear that they will be ganged up on and blamed for everything.  I am aware of the anxieties created by seeking help and therefore encourage a slow pace that honors the delicacy of the situation.  As we move forward in understanding your couple’s dynamics, it becomes apparent that no one person is to blame.

While each of you particularly at the beginning of therapy, will spend time speaking directly with me, increasingly the time will be spent with the two of you talking to each other.

During this time I will assist and support you with suggestions and observations.  The three of us will collaborate in generating new understanding and behavior.  In general my goal is to improve communications and help you bring back the connectedness, loving kindness and passion that you once had, and to build and strengthen a sense of teamwork on which the both of you can rely to meet life’s challenges together.

Children

My work with children is generally non-threatening and collaborative.  I attempt to provide a safe, structured and empathic environment for children, so they will be able to explore their feelings, as well as express them appropriately.

Play therapy in general is my choice of treatment with young children whom have not developed the verbal ability to express their feelings verbally.  Working with children also involves working with their parents or in some instances their siblings.

Some common problems include:  poor social skills, poor problem solving skills, inability to follow directions, being oppositional, inability to finish tasks and stay focused (ADHD), inability to control impulses and anger as well as problems in school.

What are some of the conditions that you treat?

People come into therapy for a myriad of reasons. Some of the most common conditions include alleviating depression and anxiety, improving relationships, enhancing self esteem, improving communication skills, processing unresolved childhood wounds, difficulty with one's children, working through life transitions such as divorce and bereavement.

How long are therapy sessions?
Therapy sessions are generally 50 minutes long unless a longer time frame is discussed.

How often do you go to therapy?
Generally I see people once a week, however there are times when more frequent sessions are needed.

Do all therapists practice the same way?
Therapists have their own unique style resulting from their theoretical orientation.  It is very important that you choose a therapist that you feel comfortable with.

What is your theoretical orientation?
In general, I am deeply affected by depth psychology and humanistic psychology. Depth psychology is important to me because it acknowledges the unconscious processes and uncovers our past experiences.  Existential psychology is also important to me because of its concern with existence and the basic fact of living in the here and now.  This perspective assists clients in becoming more present and conscious in the way they experience the richness of life.

I've also been strongly influenced by the behavioral and theories and interventions in treating children, which practices rewarding and reinforcing positive behavior  in children.

How long does the therapy take?
Each case is unique and people have many different goals that affect the length of treatment.

Is therapy confidential?
In general, the law protects the confidentiality of all communications between a client and a psychotherapist.  No information will be disclosed without your written permission.

However, there are number of exceptions to this rule.  These include any suspected child abuse, or any suspected dependant adult or elder abuse, for which I am required by law to report this to the appropriate authorities immediately.  Further, if a client is threatening serious bodily harm to another person/s, I must notify the police and the intended victim. Finally, if a client intends to harm himself or herself, I will make every effort to enlist their cooperation in insuring their safety.  If they are unable to cooperate, I will take further measures without their permission to insure their safety, which are provided to me by law.

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