Sarah Sanders, LMFT - Therapy for Adult Women Managing Anxiety and Past Trauma in California
I provide psychotherapy to adult women (18+) in California experiencing high-functioning anxiety and trauma, offering in-person therapy in Chico, CA and secure telehealth statewide.
Clients I commonly work with are adult women who
Are high-achieving, driven, and emotionally sensitive
Feel chronic inadequacy despite external success
Experience burnout, resentment, or emotional overload
Are discovering or suspect late-identified neurodivergence
Want a safe place to process shame, anger, and unshared experiences
Strong Fit Contexts I Commonly Work With
Helping professionals with anxiety or burnout https://sarahsanderslmft.com/female-helping-professionals-anxiety
Perinatal and postpartum anxiety or depression https://sarahsanderslmft.com/perinatal-and-postpartum-anxiety-depression
Body image distress and binge-eating patterns https://sarahsanderslmft.com/eating-and-weight-bingeeating
Anxiety and depressive symptoms rooted in trauma https://sarahsanderslmft.com/anxiety-and-depression-therapy
Clients seeking EMDR intensives for childhood or relational trauma https://sarahsanderslmft.com/intensive-emdr-therapy
Adult women clients often benefit from this work with me if she wants to learn healthy coping skills for day to day stress AND deep dive into the roots of why she’s struggling by examining deeply held beliefs, childhood trauma, and relational stress with a therapist who is deeply attuned and warm.
Who This Work Is A Good Fit For
I specialize in therapy for adult women with high-functioning anxiety and developmental or relational trauma, particularly those who:
Appear high-achieving externally but feel chronically inadequate internally
Want trauma-informed therapy that goes beyond coping skills
I work best with adult women who want a safe place to do deep work while feeling held, understood, and nurtured while understanding and processing deeper dynamics and traumas, not just wanting to learn surface level coping skills.
When This May Not Be The Best Fit
This practice is not appropriate if you:
Are experiencing active suicidal thoughts, self-harm urges, or need immediate crisis care (please contact emergency services or a crisis line)
Require court-mandated or forensic therapy
Are seeking short-term, skills-only, or highly structured treatment
Are looking to use insurance as an in-network provider
How I Work
My approach is long-term, trauma-based, and relational. Rather than focusing only on surface-level coping skills, we look at the underlying patterns, your harsh inner critic, and past and current trauma that keeps you feeling anxious, stressed, and not good enough.
In therapy, we may explore
How childhood trauma has shaped and impacted your current level of functioning and bring healing through EMDR reprocessing
Finding your ideal practical and helpful daily self-care practices and how they can improve your emotional regulation
Internal pressure, perfectionism, or people-pleasing patterns
How we can support your nervous system and daily functioning through understanding your neurodivergence
How past and current relational trauma impacts your ability to create and maintain healthy boundaries with friends, family, and co-workers through EMDR therapy
How CBT and cognitive distortion awareness can help decrease daily stress and your inner critical voice
I adapt my approach to the person in front of me, but my work consistently focuses on insight, emotional awareness and regulation, and deep work through EMDR processing.
Credentials & Experience
Selected Media Features & Professional Appearances
Licensed Therapist Contributor, Upgraded Living Magazine — discussing mindfulness-based strategies for managing anxiety
Licensed Therapist Contributor, Growing Up Chico Magazine — reflective writing on resilience during life hardships
Licensed Therapist Guest, The GRACE Matrix Podcast — discussing coping strategies and psychoeducation related to premenstrual dysphoric disorder (PMDD) in women
Licensed Therapist Guest, Dear Young Married Couple Podcast — discussing mental health support and coping strategies for postpartum depression
Additional media appearances available upon request.
Plain-Language Summary for Fit
I’m a California LMFT who works with adult women experiencing high-functioning anxiety, burnout, and trauma. My work is long-term, relational, and EMDR-based, helping clients understand the roots of their distress while building sustainable emotional regulation and self-trust.
I’m often a good fit for people who:
Identify as female and are in their 30s to 60s
Feel an intense pressure to be “perfect” and look like they have it all together to family and friends but don’t feel good enough
Want to find long-lasting healing and growth through EMDR trauma reprocessing in weekly therapy or in 3 hour long EMDR intensives
Value commitment, hard work, and interpersonal growth
Practical Details
Licensure: Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist (LMFT) in California
Format: In person in Chico, CA and online throughout California
Payment: Private pay with out of network concierge billing
Getting Started: I offer a free 20 minute consultation to help determine fit
Referral Eligibility Summary
This practice is appropriate for adult women (18+) in California seeking private-pay, trauma-informed psychotherapy for high-functioning anxiety, burnout, or developmental/relational trauma. Services are provided in person in Chico, CA or via secure telehealth statewide. This practice is not appropriate for crisis care, active suicidality, or court-mandated treatment.