Sarah McConkey, LCSW
Message from Sarah
As a licensed clinical social worker who focuses on ADHD, depression, and anxiety in adults, my ideal client would like to work on developing skills and strategies for managing their symptoms, in addition to building positive self-regard. When I start with a new client, we spend the first few sessions getting acquainted and building rapport. Around the third or fourth session, we will decide on at least one goal for treatment and have a concrete discussion about the steps the two of us will take together to help you reach your goals. For some, we spend our sessions learning and practicing specific skills informed by Cognitive Behavioral and/or Dialectic Behavioral Therapy, and I may offer short, optional homework assignments. For others, the work is more self-exploratory and insight-oriented. For many, it may be a combination of all of the above, depending on the unique individual needs of each client.
About Sarah's practice
Weekdays After 5pm
$$$
Sliding scale
Directive
Reflective
In-person available: No
Virtual available: Yes
ADD/ADHD
Self-Esteem
Depression
Anxiety
Mood
Fear of Failure
Procrastination
Career-Related Stress
Out of network providers
NJ + 2 more
Why state matters
Get to Know Sarah
"I have had a complicated relationship with therapy in the past but working with Sarah has by far been one of the best choices I have ever made for my overall mental health and well-being. Sarah approaches care with kindness, gentleness, and practicality. Through her, I have unlearned a lot of negative behavior that contributed to my anxiety and depression and I now feel that I am more equipped to build off of the foundation we have laid out together."
Gabrielle C., Client
If I have never been to therapy before, what should I expect? How do I know if I should go, and how do I start?
When I start with a new client, we spend the first few sessions getting acquainted and building rapport. Around the third or fourth session, we will decide on at least one goal for treatment and have a concrete discussion about the steps the two of us will take together to help you reach your goals. For some, we spend our sessions learning and practicing specific skills and I may offer short, optional homework assignments. For others, the work is more self-exploratory and insight-oriented. For many, it may be a combination of all of the above and more, depending on the unique individual needs of each client. I am of the belief that almost anyone can benefit from a few sessions of insight-focused therapy. It can help people develop deeper understanding of themselves and how to best meet their needs! The best way to start is to begin labeling and sharing your feelings with me, which is something I am happy to assist with and sets a useful foundation for our work.
How much do you share about yourself during our time together and why?
I will only share information about myself within established professional boundaries, and only when I believe it will be helpful to the client. One thing that sets me apart from many other clinicians is that I share openly on my profiles that I'm a person diagnosed with ADHD. I share this in support of my strong belief in deconstructing shame around neurodiversity, and as a beacon to the prospective ADHD client who has felt their diagnosis was poorly understood by past providers. Once we begin, I will only use self-disclosure to build rapport or to create helpful examples that pertain to treatment. After all, this is your therapy!
What led you to become a mental healthcare practitioner?
From a young age, I was always sensitive and attuned to the emotions of others; I liked sitting at dinner tables and watching different personalities interact with one another. As time went on, I became increasingly curious about the emotional dynamics within individuals and between them and how these can be shaped by our past experiences. In watching growth and development occur in myself and in those around me, I discovered the power of improved insight. I came to understand that unhelpful patterns of thought and behavior can be unlearned and improved at any stage in the lifetime, and that there were actually people who earn a living building trusting relationships with others in order to facilitate this process. From a young age, I have been quite confident that this was the best possible career path for me.