Hello! I'm Sara Bartlett, DSW, LCSW. I am a licensed clinical social worker with more than 20 years of medical and geriatric social work, most of it on the Central Coast. I specialize in challenges like adult/family friend caregiving and care receiving, Alzheimer's disease/dementia, chronic and terminal illness, anticipatory grief, grief and bereavement, and older adult identity development. 

I have my BA in Psychology from U.C. Davis with a minor in Adult Development and Aging, my MSW (Master's of Social Work) from U.C. Berkeley with a concentration in Aging, and my DSW (Doctorate of Clinical Social Work) from the University of Pennsylvania. I have also been a licensed clinical social worker (LCSW) since 2009. My past jobs are as follows: Medical Social Worker and Home Health Social Worker, Care Manager, Area Director for the Alzheimer's Association, Medical Social Worker and Volunteer Coordinator for hospice, and Behavioral Health Counselor for older adults in skilled nursing facilities. I have also taught Sociology and Psychology courses at Cal Poly, San Luis Obispo since 2012 and online courses for Columbia's School of Social Work since 2021. 

Because of my unique professional history combining direct practice clinical positions with teaching and research, I tend to utilize a lot of psychoeducation and research based information in my counseling. I use ecclectic therapeutic approaches depending on the situation, from problem focused work, to cognitive behavioral strategies, to grief counseling techniques. I have been trained in Prolonged Grief Disorder therapy. I also employ a relational approach, in which our relationship will guide the course of therapy. Additionally, I believe in the power of nature to influence our mood. Whenever feasible and when preferred by the client, I can meet for counseling sessions outside--I know of several private locations on the coast to do this.

Finally, I recognize the difficulty or hesitancy many clients have with going to a counseling appointment in a therapist's office. Maybe it is difficult to travel due to physical limitations. Maybe you are caring for a loved one at home and don't feel comfortable leaving them home alone. Maybe the thought of entering a therapy office makes you uncomfortable. I have years of experience doing "home visits", in which I travel to the client's home. This not only addresses the issues previously mentioned, but also helps establish rapport between the client and I. I also do teletherapy, which is therapy done on the computer.