H!, I’m Sarah Haugh, LMHC (#8487), a board-certified and licensed mental health therapist specializing in anxiety and trauma treatment for women and teen girls. I have sixteen years of experience in this great profession and I love it more and more each day!
I am also a self-proclaimed “empath”, HSP, married with two children and a blind rescue mixed-breed pup and love the beach, hikes, good food and restaurants with good/cozy vibes (the lighting matters)!
You likely found me or were sent to me because you feel constantly on edge, overwhelmed by intrusive thoughts, stuck in patterns of worry or avoidance, or feel disconnected from yourself and the people you love. Perhaps painful experiences from childhood or adulthood continue to affect your confidence, relationships, or sense of safety. Even when you understand what is happening, it can be difficult to know how to actually change it.
I have been practicing therapy full-time since earning my Master of Science in Clinical Counseling Psychology in 2011 (and before that through internships). I have advanced, specialized training in evidence-based treatments for trauma and anxiety disorders, including Exposure and Response Prevention (ERP), Cognitive Processing Therapy (CPT), Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing (EMDR), Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT and Trauma-Focused CBT) and Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT) . I am also a Certified Clinical Trauma Professional and Certified Clinical Anxiety Treatment Professional through Evergreen.
Our work will be tailored to your nervous system, your lived experiences, and the kind of change you want to create. I believe you are the expert on yourself, and my role is to help tap into that wisdom, learn what is driving your distress, build on your strengths, and develop tools to be the driver on your bus so that you are no longer triggered by “blind spots” only your subconsious saw coming.
In addition, I have specialized training in the integration of nutrition and mental health, (which I find exceptionally meaningful) particularly as it relates to anxiety and I earned certification as a Certified Mental Health and Nutrition Clinical Specialist. When appropriate, we can explore how nutrition and other lifestyle factors may support your emotional well-being as part of a comprehensive and holistic body-based approach to care.
My therapy will consider how systems, family, educational, cultural, or societal experiences have shaped the way you see yourself and relate to the world. By integrating evidence-based therapy with holistic, body-based, and mindfulness-informed approaches, I help clients move beyond the automatic learned survival patterns and move toward greater peace, confidence, connection, and emotional safety and regulation.
It is an honor to be considered as part of your healing journey. I would love to connect and help you determine whether we are a good fit. Feel free to reach out any time!
Sarah’s clinical expertise and commentary have also been featured in national publications, professional platforms, and podcasts. View Sarah’s media and press features.
An experience may have been traumatic if it overwhelmed your ability to cope and continues to affect how you feel, think, or respond. You might notice unwanted memories, avoidance, sleep changes, or a persistent sense of danger. People respond differently to the same event, and you do not need to compare your experience with anyone else’s to seek support. Trauma therapy can help you explore its impact; distress alone does not necessarily mean you have PTSD.
Yes. Childhood experiences can shape beliefs about safety, self-worth, and relationships long after childhood ends. You might notice a strong reaction to criticism, difficulty asking for help, or pressure to keep everyone happy. These patterns have many possible causes, so therapy begins with understanding your individual history. Together, we can explore what you learned earlier in life and practice responses that better fit your needs today.
After frightening or unpredictable experiences, your stress response may stay alert to possible danger even in a safe setting. You might feel tense, startle easily, or struggle to relax. Anxiety, poor sleep, ongoing stress, and physical health factors can also contribute. Therapy can help you recognize triggers, build grounding skills, and address the experiences or patterns keeping you on alert.
Trauma can contribute to anxiety and relationship patterns such as people-pleasing or difficulty trusting. Agreeing with others or watching their moods may once have helped you feel safer. These behaviors can also develop for other reasons and are not proof of trauma. Our work can explore their purpose, help you identify your own needs, and support boundaries and relationships that feel more secure.
Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing (EMDR) is a structured psychotherapy with strong evidence for treating PTSD. Treatment starts with understanding your history, planning, and preparation. When appropriate, you briefly focus on aspects of a distressing memory while following guided eye movements or other alternating stimulation. You and your therapist monitor your responses and close the session with attention to stability. Sessions may focus on preparation or review rather than memory processing.
Usually, you do not need to give a detailed, moment-by-moment account for EMDR. Your therapist needs enough information to understand your concerns, assess readiness, and plan treatment safely. You may identify a memory, its meaning, and the feelings or body sensations connected to it without narrating every detail. You remain involved in decisions about pacing and can ask to pause.
EMDR may help when anxiety is connected to distressing memories or trauma. For example, a past frightening event may still trigger fear in a present-day situation. EMDR’s strongest evidence is for PTSD; the best approach for other anxiety problems depends on the symptoms and what maintains them. I can help you consider whether EMDR, CBT, exposure-based therapy, or a combination fits your goals.
Knowing a feared outcome is unlikely does not always change the learned response behind anxiety. Coping skills may help in the moment while avoidance, repeated checking, or reassurance-seeking keep the cycle going. This does not mean you have failed. Therapy can help identify what maintains your anxiety and move beyond temporary relief through approaches such as CBT, carefully planned exposure, or trauma treatment when appropriate.
Yes. CBT can help you understand panic symptoms and reduce fear of having another attack. Treatment may include safely practicing responses to feared body sensations and gradually returning to activities you have avoided. The plan is tailored to your health and needs. New or unusual symptoms, especially chest pain or fainting, should be medically assessed rather than assumed to be panic.
CBT and exposure-based therapies are established treatments for many anxiety disorders. Exposure and Response Prevention (ERP) is especially useful for OCD and compulsive patterns, while trauma-focused treatments such as CPT or EMDR may fit trauma-related symptoms. Mindfulness, acceptance, and emotion-regulation skills can complement treatment. At my Topsfield practice and through Massachusetts telehealth, we choose an approach based on your symptoms, history, and goals.
