Sarah Desautels
Adolescents, Adults & Elderly Therapist
Pronouns: She/Her
Licensure: Provisionally Licensed Clinical Social Worker & Therapist
Location: Rhode Island
Language: English
Fee:
Sliding Scale: Available
Insurance:
Accepting New Clients: Yes
Specialties:
Life Coaching, Life Transitions, Maladaptive Personality Patterns
Incarceration / Reintegration, Criminal Justice System
ADHD, Anxiety, Depression, Bipolar Patterns, Dual Diagnosis
Children of Parents with Addiction, Intergenerational Trauma & Healing
Highly Sensitive Person, Self-Esteem / Worth / Compassion
Aging, Career, Coaching Career, Counseling, Child-free People
ABOUT ME
Hi, I’m Sarah. I take a warm, attachment-based approach to therapy, co-creating a safe relationship where you can heal and grow. I believe we are all interconnected, and that individual wellness is intrinsically tied to our collective liberation. With an emphasis on strengths, social connections, and harm reduction, I provide unwavering support so you can take a leadership role in your own healing.
As a queer woman, I love working with the LGBTQ+ community, and I’m especially passionate about supporting clients with trauma and complex trauma, disordered eating, and dissociative disorders, particularly DID (Dissociative Identity Disorder). I focus on Internal Family Systems and Somatic Therapy techniques, but also incorporate approaches like Dialectical Behavioral Therapy, Narrative Therapy, and Art Therapy. It’s my honor to integrate clients’ spiritual and cultural healing practices into treatment. A lifelong learner, I’m committed to my growth journey in antiracism, decolonization, abolition, and restorative justice.
I’m an LMSW with over six years of experience in a variety of mental health care roles, including community mental health, domestic violence shelter programming, and suicide/crisis hotline counseling. I have experience working with all age groups, and I currently serve teens and adults.
In my free time, I enjoy yoga, baking, makeup, visiting art museums, and doing tarot spreads for friends in coffee shops.
Why I Do This Work
“I do this work because I believe healing happens in relationship, with ourselves, with each other, and with something greater than what hurt us. I’ve seen how powerful it is when someone finally feels seen, safe, and supported. Therapy is one way I get to hold space for that magic.”
— Sarah Desautels
My Approach in Practice
Healing, to me, is not just about coping. It's about finding safety in your body, building trust in relationships, and reconnecting with the parts of yourself that have been shut away for too long. I take an attachment-based, trauma-informed approach to therapy, grounded in curiosity, warmth, and care.
In our sessions, we’ll slow things down together. I’ll support you in exploring your emotions and experiences with compassion, while gently untangling the survival strategies you’ve had to develop. I center your voice and choices in the process. I believe in therapy that’s collaborative, flexible, and responsive to your needs—not rigid or prescriptive.
My work integrates Internal Family Systems and Somatic Therapy with creative tools like narrative and art therapy. I especially enjoy supporting clients with dissociation, disordered eating, and complex trauma. I draw from spiritual, cultural, and community-rooted practices when invited, and always aim to honor the wisdom you already carry.
You are the expert of your own experience. I’m here to walk alongside you, offering support that is gentle, brave, and deeply human.
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Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT), Internal Family Systems (IFS), Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT), Humanistic, Solution Focused Brief (SFBT), Strength-Based
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Educator, therapist , or Coach for Therapists
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Therapy with me is a collaborative process. I’ll never assume to know more about your story than you do. I hold space for all parts of you, even the ones that feel messy, contradictory, or hidden. We’ll go at your pace, whether that means gentle exploration, skill-building, deep inner work, or just catching your breath.
In our sessions, you can expect warmth, creativity, and a steady presence. I’ll support you in staying grounded while we explore the things that feel hard to name. Some days that might look like parts work or somatic tools. Other days, it might just mean having a soft space to land when everything feels overwhelming.
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My style is relational, intuitive, and deeply client-centered. I show up as a real person, not a blank slate, because I believe authenticity creates safety. I listen closely for what’s spoken and unspoken, and I adapt my approach to meet your needs in the moment.
I love weaving together modalities like Internal Family Systems, somatic therapy, and expressive arts in ways that feel gentle but honest. I approach each session with curiosity, care, and a belief in your inherent wisdom. You don't need to have it all figured out to begin. We start where you are.
How We Can Work Together
Clients often reach out when they are:
• Living with trauma, dissociation, or complex PTSD and looking for a space to feel safe, regulated, and understood in their healing journey.
• Exploring gender, sexuality, or cultural identity and seeking an affirming space to process transitions, questions, and community disconnection.
• Navigating disordered eating or body image issues and wanting support that centers compassion, harm reduction, and reconnection with the body.
• Holding deep emotions beneath the surface: grief, shame, rage, loneliness, and needing space to feel and express without judgment.
• Feeling fragmented or stuck in survival mode and hoping to understand their internal parts, build inner trust, and move toward wholeness.
No matter what brings you in, we’ll go at your pace. I’m here to walk beside you with steadiness, softness, and care as you reconnect with the parts of you that have always deserved gentleness.
