Hi! I’m Sarah Blake. I founded what was originally Sarah Blake Psychotherapy (and is now Blake Psychotherapy & Associates), after almost a decade and a half as a therapist in a variety of eating disorder and other mental health treatment facilities and offices. Throughout my years of practice, I have specialized in eating disorders, domestic violence, and a broad array of other women’s issues.
I work with individuals age 14 and above, helping them to find positive solutions to life’s challenging problems. My patients may be dealing with issues such as: eating disorders, mood disorders, emotional dysregulation, relationship issues, stress & anxiety to name a few. I work with individuals, couples, families and groups. I also provide talks within the community.
Throughout my practice I have learned a number of different theories and techniques which I have incorporated in the work I do. I utilize Cognitive Behavior Therapy, Dialectical Behavioral Therapy, Acceptance and Commitment Therapy and Mindfulness throughout my day with clients. Foundationally though, my work began with the Functional or Penn Approach as created by a gentleman names Otto Rank (who we heard about constantly at The University of Pennsylvania School of Social Work, where I obtained my Social Work degree!) This theory states a few important concepts that I have always based my work on. The first is that “the force for change had to come from within the individual, from an active, self assertive Will.”* This means that a therapists job is to help an individual to better use this Will towards positive change. This also means that I start where my client is. Wherever that may be! We begin from there and then we work together to move forward to the goal that we set together in therapy. We will then work through each phase of treatment – a beginning, middle and end phase – together – in collaboration. Each session will continue to move you to the end goals that you have in mind, or that we continue to set as we go along. Each individual’s length of treatment is going to vary – depending on the issues a person comes into treatment with and the work they desire to do. This is also something we will decide on together. One final important piece of information about how I work – I do not believe that therapy happens in a 50 minute session in my office. With that in mind, there is often work to do between sessions to help the work you are doing to continue to progress.
If you have heard all you need to, feel free to stop here. I forgot to tell you all about my training, which might not be terribly interesting to you, but I should do it anyway! I obtained my B.A. from the University of Marylandat College Park and my Masters in Social Work from the University of Pennsylvania. Some of the extensive experience with eating disorders was obtained from premier treatment facilities such as the Center for Eating Disorders at Sheppard Pratt in Baltimore, MD, the Renfrew Center in Philadelphia, PA, and the Belmont Center for Comprehensive Treatment on the eating disorder unit, also in Philadelphia, PA. I have also worked at a Domestic Violence Shelter, an outpatient counseling center, and an EAP program where I wokred with a plethora of issues, not just eating disorders. Whatever you are dealing with, I would love to work with you in our comfortable & safe office located near the Columbia Mall in Columbia, MD.
*If you want to know more about the Penn Approach, you can find more information here.
Fees
- Evaluation $225.00
- Individual therapy $165.00
- Family therapy $175.00