- Client-centered work
- CBT techniques
- Mindfulness practice
About Sarah
Sarah Johnston Margarida is a licensed clinical social worker (LCSW) practicing in Maryland with five years of experience. She works with people facing stress, anxiety, addictions, grief, career strain, and coping with life changes. Sarah focuses on clear, practical steps rather than labels.
She uses a collaborative, client-centered approach that asks what the person wants to change. Sessions often involve identifying specific patterns, trying small experiments, and checking what helps in daily life. Sarah draws from Cognitive Behavioral Therapy to address unhelpful thoughts and behaviors, and from Motivational Interviewing when people are weighing change.
Her work also includes mindfulness practices to help manage intense feelings and Solution-Focused Therapy to set short-term goals. She supports people dealing with attachment concerns, blended family dynamics, body image problems, caregiver stress, codependency, and communication or control issues. Addictions, eating and food-related concerns, divorce and separation, fertility stress, and forgiveness are also within her scope.
Sarah emphasizes practical skills for communication, coping, and problem solving. She helps people break large problems into manageable steps and track progress over time. Sessions typically look at what is happening now and what can be tried between meetings.
People meet Sarah for help making decisions, rebuilding routines after loss, or finding clearer ways to relate to others. To start, she asks about current struggles and what matters most to the client so the work is focused and action-oriented.
How her approaches translate to online work
Sarah commonly uses Client-Centered Therapy and Cognitive Behavioral Therapy in session. Client-Centered Therapy means conversations are guided by what matters most to the person, with the therapist reflecting concerns and priorities. CBT focuses on identifying unhelpful thoughts and testing small behavioral changes to reduce anxiety or problematic patterns.She also draws on Mindfulness Therapy to teach simple attention and breathing practices that reduce reactivity. Mindfulness is useful when stress or shame makes emotions feel overwhelming and the goal is to respond more calmly in day-to-day moments.
Choosing the right approach is a collaborative process. The therapist will talk with the client about goals, try methods that match those goals, and adjust based on what proves useful. Clients are invited to decide whether to focus on skills, short-term goals, or deeper reflection.
Session formats were not detailed in the biography, so confirm current options before booking. Online work can make it easier to fit sessions into a busy life, allow shorter check-ins when time is limited, and reduce travel time. Licensed professionals can use these formats to support regular, practical work on stress, addiction-related decisions, grief, and adjustment to life changes.
Areas of expertise
Primary focus
Additional focus areas
Therapeutic approaches
Experience
5+ years
Listed in
Maryland, Tennessee, Indiana, Texas, Louisiana, Washington, Nevada
Languages
English
Frequently asked questions
What kinds of concerns does she help with?
She works with stress, anxiety, addictions, grief, career issues, and coping with life changes. Additional areas include attachment issues, body image, caregiver stress, codependency, and forgiveness.
How would she approach feelings of shame or guilt?
Her approach is collaborative and client-centered, often using CBT to identify thought patterns and mindfulness to sit with intense feelings. She focuses on practical steps people can try between sessions.
What is her professional background?
She is a licensed clinical social worker with five years of practice experience working with emotional and life transition concerns.
Where is she licensed to practice?
She holds LCSW credentials in Indiana and Texas and practices in Maryland as a licensed clinical social worker.
Does she offer sessions in other languages or to international clients?
Sessions are offered in English. She is not accepting international clients at this time.
What session formats are available?
Please confirm current session options before booking, as formats were not specified in the biography.
How much do sessions cost?
Cost varies with location and sessions use a subscription that can be canceled at any time.
How do I begin working with her?
Use the See online therapy options button, complete a short matching questionnaire, and schedule a first session.
Online talk therapy is not emergency care. If you are in danger or thinking about harming yourself, use the crisis numbers.