I’m a graduate of the University of Texas at Austin and my Master’s of Arts in Counseling is from Covenant Seminary in St. Louis.  I’ve been a therapist for over 10 years now, and I have a background as both a former high school English teacher and a pastry chef.  My experience in these varied careers have uniquely equipped me with artistic precision and playful presence as a therapist.  I value story, people, and a good morning bun.

Have you been stumped by what to do with pain or even goodness?  Can active engagement send shockwaves through your nervous system?  What spaces exist for noticing with curiosity what isn’t working, while also honoring the intuitive (possibly brilliant) skills that have gotten you this far?  Navigating human existence is no joke!  I love celebrating and lamenting all that life offers and requires in the context of a therapeutic relationship.  

Building the therapeutic relationship is essential and I’d argue, a bit like bread baking.  If you’ve worked with dough, you know the importance of timing and paying attention.  Indicators guide the process while intuition and skills support each step.  Attachment style, internal parts, and the nervous system are raw ingredients that inform and direct how to build and support the most robust partnership possible.

When I’m not making baking analogies, I enjoy spending time with my partner and our 3 kids in Austin.  We like to draw, yell during football games, and (no surprise) bake bread.  As if our home wasn’t full enough, we also have a dog, 2 cats, and a bearded dragon.  I dance and sing for fun and invite others to do the same. 

I can be reached at saracoker@stl-ccc.org.