Dr. Sarah Pittman (she/her)
I am currently accepting clients for therapy and psychological evaluations!
For the 2025-2026 academic year, I am offering a reduced rate to a limited number of college and graduate school students.
Strong emotions can be challenging to manage. You may have noticed your child/teen becoming “moody” or having outbursts like arguing, slamming doors, or throwing things. These reactions can seem to come out of nowhere. You might be feeling like you're walking on eggshells around your child/teen. They may say that no one understands their emotions. Sometimes, they may even say that they want to hurt others or themselves.
Or perhaps you are a young adult who has wrestled with controlling your emotions and/or behaviors. People have told you that you are “overreacting” or that your emotions are “too intense”. This may have led to arguments or even fall outs in your relationships. You may even feel like your emotions are controlling you and your behavior.
Or maybe you or your child/teen experienced a traumatic or very stressful event. You have tried to resume your normal life, but you (or your child/teen) don’t feel the same. You feel on-edge, down, and disconnected. You often find yourself thinking about the traumatic experience, or you try to avoid thinking about it and reminders of it. People have told you to “move on” or “get over it”, but you feel stuck with the experience.
I have expertise in treating individuals with all of these concerns. I use evidence-based treatments to treat a range of mental health concerns, with a focus in treating older children, teens, and young adults who:
Have experienced trauma or major life stressors
Are experiencing mood concerns, such as depression, mood swings, and irritability
Have difficulties controlling their emotions and behaviors
I incorporate a strengths-based and culturally-responsive approach to tailor evidence-based treatments to meet the individual needs of each client.
To learn more, please visit my website. To book an appointment or discuss services, please fill out this form.
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I am a licensed clinical psychologist who provides high quality, evidence-based care to my clients to treat a range of mental health concerns. I specialize in treating older children, teens, and young adults who are experiencing mood concerns, such as depression, mood swings, and irritability, and/or have experienced trauma and major life stress. I am passionate about working with individuals who have difficulties controlling their emotions and behaviors that may have led to problems in their life, including loneliness, tantrums/meltdowns, arguments, aggression, self-harm, suicidal thoughts, impulsivity, and challenges in their relationships. I also teach caregivers of children and teens strategies to manage challenging emotions and behaviors. Concerns that I have expertise in treating include:
Trauma and life stress
Depression, including suicidal thoughts and self-harm
Disruptive mood dysregulation disorder (DMDD)
Attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD)
Oppositional defiant disorder (ODD)
Anxiety
In addition, I offer high-quality psychological assessments to children and teens aimed at clarifying diagnoses and providing individualized recommendations. My assessment specialties include comprehensive, evidence-based psychological evaluation to differentiate between mood, anxiety, trauma, and behavioral concerns for diagnostic clarity, treatment planning, and identifying unique strengths and challenges. I also have extensive experience evaluating concerns of ADHD and executive dysfunction, as well as intellectual disabilities and cognitive strengths and weaknesses.
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I help individuals learn skills to thrive in their lives using a warm, validating, and direct approach. Because each client I see is unique, I incorporate a strengths-based and collaborative approach in my therapy to tailor evidence-based treatments to meet your individual needs. Together, we will create individualized treatment plans that will result in meaningful changes in your life. I strive to create a culturally-responsive environment that promotes inclusivity across backgrounds. I am LGBTQIA+ and neurodiverse affirming and welcome discussions around these identities in our sessions.
Although I use a range of treatments, I particularly enjoy using dialectical behavior therapy (DBT), cognitive behavior therapy (CBT), trauma-focused cognitive behavior therapy (TF-CBT), and cognitive processing therapy (CPT). I am passionate about teaching client strategies to manage strong emotions and challenging behaviors. For individuals who have experienced trauma, I help them learn coping skills and change unhelpful thinking patterns in order to process trauma and foster resilience. Click here to learn more about the treatments I provide.
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I completed a Bachelor of Arts in psychology at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. I graduated from Virginia Commonwealth University with a PhD in clinical psychology and a concentration in child and adolescent psychology. I completed my pre-doctoral clinical internship at Virginia Treatment Center for Children. After graduating, I completed a postdoctoral research fellowship in the Injury and Violence Prevention Program in the Department of Surgery at VCU.
I have extensive experience in providing evidence-based therapy to children, teens, and young adults to treat a range of mental health concerns. I have provided therapy and assessment services in a variety of settings, including inpatient psychiatric and medical hospitals, primary care clinics, specialty pediatric clinics (e.g., craniofacial, hematology/oncology), and private practices.
To learn more about me, please visit my website.
In my free time, I am often spending time with my husband and dog, running, hiking, and cooking. I enjoy visiting local restaurants, spending time with friends, and doing projects around my house.