Sarah Spurling, LCSW
Illinois · 3 years in practice
Sarah Spurling is a licensed clinical social worker who helps people feeling overwhelmed, exhausted, or emotionally stuck.
License and registration
- LCSW, Illinois
- 149030436 · expires November 2027
- NPI
- 1831803188 · national provider identifier
- Years in practice
- 3
- Languages
- English
Details are as listed on the therapist's public professional profile. You can check the license with the issuing state board, and the NPI with the national registry.
About Sarah
Sarah Spurling is a licensed clinical social worker who helps people feeling overwhelmed, exhausted, or emotionally stuck. She meets adults who are managing anxiety, stress, grief, low self-esteem, or the aftereffects of trauma and abuse. Her style is warm and relational, focused on building trust so people can show up without masking or over-explaining.
She uses existential ideas to help people find meaning when life feels confusing or empty. Sarah also draws on Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT) and client-centered methods to help people notice what matters, accept difficult feelings, and move toward values-based action.
Background and approach
Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) and Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT) tools are used when practical skills are helpful. Sarah has three years of clinical experience and holds an LCSW, licensed in Illinois. She works with adults on issues including LGBT concerns, gender dysphoria, abandonment and attachment struggles, body image, caregiver stress, chronic illness and pain, codependency, and communication problems.
She also addresses dissociation, emptiness, family of origin issues, and first responder stress. She is experienced supporting autistic adults and those exploring a later-in-life diagnosis. In addition to individual sessions, Sarah facilitates autism support groups where participants share experiences and learn coping strategies.
Therapy with her focuses on understanding what’s getting in the way, practicing tools that fit daily life, and slowly building more grounded, connected living. Starting is often the hardest step, and she aims to make that first step simpler and less intimidating.
Focus areas and approaches
Everything Sarah lists on their public professional profile, in their own terms.
- Stress, Anxiety
- LGBT
- Trauma and abuse
- Grief
- Self esteem
- Abandonment
- Attachment issues
- Autism and Asperger Syndrome
- Body image
- Caregiver issues and stress
- Chronic pain, illness, and disability
- Codependency
- Communication problems
- Coping with natural or human-caused disaster
- Dissociation
- Emptiness
- Family of origin issues
- First responder issues
- Gender dysphoria
- Guilt and shame
- Immigration issues
- Life purpose
- Midlife crisis
- Multicultural concerns
- Narcissism
- Obsessions, compulsions, and OCD
- Panic disorder and panic attacks
- Personality disorders
- Phobias
- Post-traumatic stress
- Prejudice and discrimination
- Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD)
- Sexuality
- Social anxiety and phobia
- Somatization
- Women's issues
- Workplace issues
- Young adult issues
Approaches Sarah names
- Existential Therapy
- Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT)
- Client-Centered Therapy
- Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT)
- Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT)
- Motivational Interviewing
- Psychodynamic Therapy
- Solution-Focused Therapy
- Somatic Therapy
- Trauma-Focused Therapy
- Internal Family Systems
- Systemic Therapy
Naming an approach is not evidence of training in it. This directory copies what each therapist lists and does not check training records.
Online support
How therapeutic approaches fit into online care
Existential Therapy looks at questions of meaning, freedom, and identity. It helps people facing emptiness, life transitions, or questions about who they want to be by inviting honest reflection and personal values work. Acceptance and Commitment Therapy, or ACT, focuses on noticing thoughts and feelings without getting stuck in them and taking steps toward what matters, which can be useful for anxiety, stress, and low motivation.Client-Centered Therapy centers the person’s own perspective and experience. The therapist offers empathic listening and gentle guidance so clients feel heard and can explore concerns at their own pace. Sarah uses these approaches collaboratively, matching methods to each person’s needs, goals, and comfort level rather than following a single technique.
Online therapy offers practical flexibility. Video calls allow a full-session conversation and visual cues. Phone sessions can be a good option when bandwidth is limited or a simpler check-in is needed. Live chat and text-based messaging let people check in between sessions, share updates, or get brief support when schedules are tight. These formats make it easier to fit therapy into a busy life and to continue work consistently.
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Questions people ask
What kinds of problems does Sarah help with?
She supports adults dealing with stress, anxiety, trauma and abuse, grief, and low self-esteem, along with related concerns such as abandonment, attachment, and body image.
How would you describe her therapy style?
Her approach is relational and supportive, focusing on trust and helping people show up as themselves rather than fixing them or rushing change.
What is her background and clinical experience?
She has three years of clinical experience working with adults, including autistic adults and people exploring later-in-life diagnoses.
What credentials and location are listed for this therapist?
She is an LCSW, licensed in Illinois.
Which languages are sessions offered in and can international clients join?
Sessions are offered in English, and she is not currently accepting international clients.
What session formats are available?
She works with video calls, phone sessions, live chat, and text-based messaging to fit different needs and schedules.
How is cost handled for sessions?
Cost varies with location and therapist availability; sessions use a subscription model that can be canceled at any time.
How do I begin working with her?
Begin by selecting the Start Therapy button, complete a short matching questionnaire, and then schedule a time according to therapist availability.
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