About

About Savannah

I’m a native Mainer, and left the state at age 18 to attend Lafayette College in Easton, PA. I earned my BA with a double major in Psychology and English from Lafayette, where I took a special interest in studying cognitive psychology and creative writing. After graduation, I spent several years living in Boston and working in finance recruiting, before pivoting back towards my passion for mental health and earning my Masters in Social Work from the University of New England. While in graduate school, I studied with a clinical focus and received high honors and a Certificate in Trauma-Informed Care, honing in on my passion for working with individuals who have experienced trauma. I completed my graduate practicum hours in a number of different settings, including residential, outpatient, and school-based treatment settings. After graduating with my MSW, I began employment at a mental health agency where I provided outpatient therapy to a diverse caseload of clients, ranging from young children to elders with a variety of mental health needs and treatment goals. Through this work, I continued to find so much fulfillment in working with individuals who were facing anxiety and who had experienced trauma. These individuals were incredibly resilient, and had harnessed so many tools to help them continue navigating life amongst significant struggles. Witnessing change and healing throughout the course of treatment has remained one of my favorite aspects of my role as a therapist.

Outside of my practice, I enjoy spending time at the pottery studio and making ceramic pieces to gift to family and friends, reading, and traveling to experience new places and cultures. I also love taking time to explore Maine’s coast, which I never take for granted after my years of living out-of-state.

About my approach

Sailboat in Casco Bay Harbor in Portland, Maine, where treatment for anxiety and trauma is offered.

Research has demonstrated on numerous occasions that the most important indicator of successful therapy is the therapeutic relationship that exists between client and clinician. With that in mind, I approach sessions with a warm, interactive, and compassionate nature, and a desire to invest in my clients and truly understand who they are and what they’re going through. Your therapy sessions are opportunities for you to solely focus on yourself and your needs, and I am willing to adapt and shift with you as your needs change over the course of our work together. I strive to strategize with each individual client and ensure that therapy is a service that is challenging them towards personal growth while helping them reach the goals we have identified together. I often work from a psychodynamic approach, which means working with clients to help them understand how and why they feel, think, and act the way they do, aiming to build insight and deepen self-awareness so that this understanding can be harnessed to create change moving forward. I also utilize specialized, evidence-based intervention models such as EMDR, ERP (Exposure and Response Prevention), TF-CBT (Trauma-Focused Cognitive Behavioral Therapy), and EFIT (Emotionally Focused Therapy for Individuals).

Many clients I work with struggle with feelings of insecurity, self-doubt, perfectionism, and worry, often which are rooted in trauma and/or anxiety. My approach and interventions support clients to build insights and awareness into their struggles, while carving a path forward that reduces struggling and suffering and increases feeling of empowerment, confidence, and self-worth. Please feel free to browse my site to learn more about what to expect in working with me, along with my approaches to treating trauma and anxiety and OCD. I look forward to connecting with you!

Professional Details

Degrees

  • Bachelor of Arts in Psychology, Bachelor of Arts in English - Lafayette College, 2013

  • Master of Social Work, Clinical Concentration - University of New England, 2017

Licenses

  • Licensed Clinical Social Worker (LCSW) in the State of Maine, LC18539

  • Licensed Independent Clinical Social Worker (LICSW) in the State of Massachusetts, LICSW124206

Advanced Trainings & Credentials