About Sarah
I would like to share with you a little about myself, my skills and experience and let you know how I can be of help to you.
I am from the UK but have been living and bringing up my family here in Northbrook for the past 26 years. It was an adventure moving to a different country but I feel that we have been really embraced by our great community and love working and raising my children here. We originally came here for two years and decided to stay!
Training, Skills & Experience
I completed my psychology graduate studies at Southampton University, England, where I trained in a treatment called cognitive behavior therapy (CBT). CBT is short-term “here and now” therapy that is a proven effective treatment for a wide range of problems including depression, anxiety, stress, eating /weight issues and relationship problems. After 29 years experience working in this field, I consider myself an expert in treating these types of problems.
I have worked in both hospital and outpatient settings in the UK and USA. I have presented at national and international conferences and have published research on postpartum mood disorders and articles on many topics. Please visit my Media Interviews page to read articles I have been interviewed for.
My skills and over 29 years of clinical experience allow me to get to the root of problems quickly and show you practical ways to feel more in control of your life. There are many ways we hold ourselves back from happiness. I empower my clients with the tools necessary to deal with the stress that life and relationships bring, both in the present and for when they show up again in the future.
I am also a certified CBT Life Coach which means I use techniques to help people identify and set goals to empower themselves in order to obtain greater fulfillment in their personal and professional lives. You do not need to be diagnosed with a clinical condition i.e. depression, anxiety etc. to benefit from coaching.
While completing my doctorate I became interested in women’s mental health. I especially enjoyed working with postpartum moms and completed my dissertation on childbirth trauma and the affect on Postpartum Depression and coping with new parenthood. So In addition to my private practice work with clients, I am the Founder/Director of the PPD IL Alliance which is a state-wide non-profit that brings support to women with pregnancy/postpartum mood disorders and their families. I have been in this role for 18 years and it has been a way for me to bring my passion for this work to a wider community.
Interests & Hobbies
I love spending time outdoors hiking with family and friends but I equally enjoy curling up with a good book or relaxing on the sofa to watch a movie with the kids. There’s nothing better than getting lost in a good story! I also enjoy reading for knowledge and strongly believe that we should continue enriching ourselves with ongoing education and training. I find it exciting to keep up with the latest research and innovative practices in psychology. My Facebook, Instagram and Twitter accounts enable me to share what I learn on a wider basis so please join me there too.
My Goals For Our Work Together
My goal for therapy is always that you will no longer need to come to see me because you will become confident in dealing with life stresses by yourself. I like to work collaboratively with individuals, couples and families. Yes, I have a lot of training and experience working with a wide range of problems, but you know yourself better than anyone. We work together to help you find the best tools and skills to help you develop the confidence to bring about positive changes for yourself.
I was so pleased to be recently featured in Voyage Chicago’s Inspiring People series. If you are interested in what I was like as a child, what I have found difficult in moving from the UK to the US and what I’m passionate about, please take a look https://drsarahallen.com/voyage-magazine-chicago/
I was also honored to be interviewed for The Psychologist, the professional magazine of the British Psychological Society, about being a Brit living and working abroad. I was even more excited to see the article is this month’s cover story! Read it at https://drsarahallen.com/the-psychologist/
If you have any questions about my experience or how counseling can be useful to your particular circumstances please contact me at 847 791-7722 or on the form below.