About Sarah E. Swims, MA, LPC

Licensed Professional Counselor | Trauma-Informed Therapist | EMDR-Trained

About Sarah

I am a Licensed Professional Counselor (LPC) with over a decade of experience in the mental health field, supporting individuals through trauma, anxiety, addiction, and life’s more overwhelming seasons.

My background includes work in psychosocial rehabilitation, case management for adults and families, and leadership in a residential treatment program for adolescent girls. Each step in that path has shaped my deep commitment to helping people find their way back to themselves.

“We’re not here to make you perfect. We’re here to understand what’s going on, reconnect you with who you are, and help you move forward in a way that feels right for you.”
— Sarah Swims, MA, LPC

My Path To Becoming A Therapist

My path into this work wasn’t linear, but looking back, it made sense every step of the way. I started my career in mental health in 2011, drawn to the work because it felt natural to me. Helping people, understanding how they think and feel, and being part of that process just… clicked.

Originally, I was on a completely different track. I began college studying environmental science with the intention of going into law, but over time, I realized something wasn’t fitting. When I stepped back and asked myself what actually felt right, what made sense given my interests and instincts, I found my way to psychology. That shift changed everything.

Studying human behavior, development, and relationships during my undergraduate work at Southeast Missouri State University gave me a deeper understanding not only of other people, but of myself. It was the first time something felt aligned instead of forced.

From there, I continued working in mental health roles while building my education, eventually earning my Master’s in Clinical Mental Health Counseling at the University of the Cumberlands and becoming licensed as a therapist.

What I didn’t realize at the time was how much those earlier experiences would matter. Working in high-acuity settings, supporting individuals and families in crisis, and navigating complex systems all gave me a foundation that allows me to sit with people in some of their hardest moments without rushing them, without needing to fix them, and without turning away.

My Approach To Therapy

I approach therapy as a collaborative process. We’re not here to make you perfect. We’re here to understand what’s happening, why it’s happening, and how you can move through it in a way that feels more true to who you are.

A lot of the women I work with are high-functioning, capable, and deeply intuitive, and also completely overwhelmed. They’re managing work, relationships, family responsibilities, and communal expectations, often handling more than anyone realizes. On paper, everything might be working, you’re getting things done, showing up, but it doesn’t feel like you anymore. You might feel stuck, disconnected, or like you’re pushing through each day. That’s where therapy can help.

In our work together, we make room for whatever you’re carrying. Even the parts you usually keep to yourself, the ones that feel messy or hard to put into words. I believe there is real power in being able to bring your full experience into the room and have it met with acceptance.

From there, we begin to understand patterns including the ones that have been there for years, sometimes without you even realizing it. We look at how past experiences, relationships, and stressors shaped the way you are in the world. And together, we work toward creating something different by building awareness, reducing shame, and increasing your sense of agency.

Trauma-Informed Care & EMDR

My work is grounded in trauma-informed care, with additional training in EMDR (Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing). EMDR is a powerful, evidence-based approach that helps the brain process and integrate difficult or overwhelming experiences, rather than staying stuck in them.

Even when EMDR is not the primary focus of a session, this training informs how I understand trauma and how it lives in the body and mind. Many of the symptoms people experience (anxiety, emotional reactivity, patterns in relationships, or feeling “stuck”) are often connected to earlier experiences that haven’t fully been processed. Therapy offers a way to gently work through those experiences so they’re no longer burdens you carry.

Supporting Women Through Overwhelm, Trauma & Change

While I have experience working with a wide range of clients, my work at Gray Therapy Group focuses on supporting women navigating stress, trauma, anxiety, and major life transitions.

A lot of the women I work with don’t necessarily need more information or advice. They’ve already tried that.

What they need is a place to sort through what’s actually going on without having to filter it or hold it all together. A space where they can say things out loud, hear themselves think, and start to understand why they feel the way they do.

Many of the women I see describe feeling:

Overwhelmed or overextended
Disconnected from themselves
Stuck in patterns they can’t seem to break
Impacted by past trauma or difficult life experiences
Struggling with boundaries, relationships, or work-life balance

Most of the time, you’re someone who’s used to handling things. You show up, you get it done, you keep going. But it’s gotten to a point where it’s not really working the way it used to.

In therapy, we slow it down and look at what’s actually underneath all of that. No pressure to have the right words or figure it out right away.

We just start where you are and work through it, one piece at a time, so things begin to feel clearer and a little more manageable.

What Therapy With Me Feels Like

Clients often tell me that therapy feels like a place where you can bring everything in, even the parts you usually hide, and have it be okay.

I’m not here to judge, diagnose you as a problem, or keep you in therapy longer than you need to be. My goal is to help you do meaningful work. Ultimately, I want you to reach a point where you feel confident navigating your life without needing me in the same way.

That doesn’t mean everything gets “fixed.” It means you understand yourself more clearly, feel more grounded in who you are, and have the tools to move through challenges as they come. I see therapy as a process of returning to yourself and learning how to move forward from that place.

A Little More About Me

Outside of my work as a therapist, I’m a parent to two young daughters and spend much of my time balancing family life with my professional work. I live in central Illinois, where my family and I enjoy being outdoors, gardening, and taking care of our (many) animals including chickens, cats, fish, and reptiles.

I also teach psychology part-time at a community college, which allows me to stay connected to learning, research, and the evolving understanding of how we think, feel, and grow.

Education & Credentials

Areas Of Focus

I specialize in:

Ready To Begin?

If you’re ready to take the next step toward feeling more balanced, supported, and at ease, I’d love to hear from you. Reach out today to schedule a consultation or ask any questions about therapy. Together, we can start creating space for the version of you that’s ready to emerge.

You Don’t Have To Hold It All Alone. Reach Out Today.

I offer therapy exclusively via telehealth and am licensed to practice in the state of Illinois. Gray Therapy Group is a practice committed to high quality care that prioritizes women’s mental health and emotional well-being.