Sarah Benitez-Zandi, MSW, LCSW

Licensed Clinical Social Worker
Trauma & Identity Specialist | Relationship & Reproductive Mental Health
EMDR & ART Certified

A young woman with brown, curly hair and a bright smile, wearing a sleeveless green top and a silver necklace, standing outdoors with blurred buildings in the background.

Hi, I’m Sarah (she/her)

I work with high-functioning individuals and couples navigating trauma, identity shifts, fertility journeys, grief, and relational strain—often behind lives that appear successful, but feel unsustainable or unfulfilled beneath the surface.

With over a decade of experience, I offer a grounded, trauma-informed, and relational approach to therapy. My work is LGBTQIA+ affirming, neurodivergent-inclusive, and welcoming to both traditional and non-traditional partnerships.

All sessions are private pay, virtual, and designed for people who value privacy, discernment, and meaningful growth.

Here, you don’t have to be the one holding everyone else up. Whether you’re unpacking longstanding trauma, facing emotional burnout, or navigating a major life transition, this is a space to slow down, reflect, and reset.

What I Help With

1. Trauma & Nervous System Regulation

  • Complex PTSD, dissociation, and developmental trauma

  • High-functioning clients with hidden trauma or internalized stress

  • Therapists, healthcare professionals, caregivers, executives

  • Chronic people-pleasing, overfunctioning, and emotional shutdown

  • Somatic and brain-based strategies for sustainable healing

I help people who “look fine” on the outside finally feel safe and whole on the inside.

2. Relational Wellness & Identity Evolution

  • Communication repair in committed or evolving relationships

  • Non-traditional partnership dynamics (polyamorous, queer, blended)

  • Life role transitions (career shifts, caregiving, cultural/gender identity)

  • Attachment wounds, codependency, and legacy burdens

  • Boundary work and emotional clarity

We’ll work to deepen connection, clarify your needs, and strengthen your boundaries—with yourself and others.

3. Reproductive & Life Transitions Mental Health

  • Fertility challenges, pregnancy loss, postpartum adjustment

  • Shifts in motherhood, parenting identity, and caregiving roles

  • Major transitions (divorce, relocation, burnout, career shifts)

  • Ambiguous grief and redefining the life you imagined

I hold space for grief and growth to coexist—while helping you find meaning in the in-between.

My Approach

I combine trauma-informed neuroscience with compassionate, personalized care. My clinical lens is informed by deep relational work, and my tools are grounded in evidence-based methods:

  • EMDR (Eye Movement Desensitization & Reprocessing)

  • ART (Accelerated Resolution Therapy)

  • Parts Work & Internal Family Systems

  • CBT, mindfulness, and somatic integration practices

This isn’t about fixing you—it’s about honoring what’s gotten you here and creating space for what’s next.

Licensure & Access

I’m licensed in:
WI, IL, FL, OH, SC, NC, MN, IA, and PA
Coaching services are available nationwide.

All sessions are fully virtual and private pay. You can expect care that is discreet, responsive, and strategically designed around your goals, schedule, and capacity.