Sarah Noel, Psychotherapist in Brooklyn, 11217

Sarah Noel, MS, LMHC

Profession(s):
Psychotherapy, Counseling
License Status:
I'm a licensed professional.
Primary License:
Licensed Mental Health Counselor - 004433

My Approach to Helping

Therapy can help you to get to the roots of your issues, develop a better understanding of yourself and provide you with tools to more effectively manage your life. My role, as your therapist, is an objective and non-biased one. I will focus on listening to you, guiding you through a thorough exploration of yourself- past, present and future- and fostering insight. Your own insights will guide you to make decisions and take subsequent actions. Whatever the concern that leads you to therapy, rest assured that I will be deeply invested in supporting you through the process, freeing you to live the life you desire. To learn more about my practice and how to get started, visit my website.

More Info About My Practice

I believe that therapy should be accessible to anyone who wants to reap its many benefits. Therefore, I am pleased to offer a sliding scale and package pricing in order to minimize costs. I am also happy to provide monthly invoices to be submitted to your insurance company so you can be reimbursed.

My View on the Purpose of Psychotherapy

I believe the purpose of psychotherapy is, in the simplest terms, change. However, I believe the specific change to be fairly unique to each person who enters therapy. Some people come to therapy because they are overwhelmed with feelings of sadness, perhaps even to the point they find it difficult to get out of bed. Others may be struggling with one or more significant relationships in their lives and therefore feel quite lonely and isolated. Still others may be filled with so much anxiety and fear that they find it difficult to make decisions, both large and small. There are endless other reasons why people decide to engage in therapy. While people likely enter therapy with the goal of alleviating sadness, improving relationships or moving beyond the paralysis of fear and anxiety, they have often grown well beyond these goals and are significantly changed by the time the leave therapy.

Important Factors for Choosing a Therapist

Finding a therapist can be an overwhelming task, in and of itself. First and foremost, it is important to make sure that the therapist you are considering is adequately trained and qualified to provide therapy – you can confirm a therapist's license with the state licensing board. The other practical issue that seems important is to ensure that the schedule and fee structure will be manageable, so that therapy won't be terminated prematurely for logistical reasons. Beyond this, I believe the most important ingredient for successful therapy to be the relationship that develops between you and your therapist. When you are working with your therapist, you should feel safe to explore any and all issues – good, bad and ugly. You will likely not always feel comfortable doing this, but you should always feel safe and free from judgment in addressing any issue with your therapist. If you don't feel this way, it may be helpful to talk openly about this with your therapist. If it still doesn't feel like a good match, you may need to try a new therapist. It can take some time and effort, but finding a good match is a critically important ingredient to healing.