Exploring Life & Business with Sarah DeLuca

Today we’d like to introduce you to Sarah DeLuca.

Hi Sarah, so excited to have you on the platform. So before we get into questions about your work life, maybe you can bring our readers up to speed on your story and how you got to where you are today.
I didn’t always know I wanted to be a therapist, but I am so grateful I found this work. I started in the Business School at Villanova University but after being hit by a car as a pedestrian, I had a “what am I doing with my life?” moment and switched my major and path entirely.

After college, I spent a year volunteering in Mobile, AL where I worked with Social Workers and realized this was the path I wanted to take. I attended Boston College Graduate School of Social Work, during which I worked at a community service agency, in schools and residential foster care programs.

After graduation, my husband and I moved to Austin, TX where I worked as a high school counselor and began my private therapy practice, focussing on trauma treatment. After ten years in Austin, we moved our three children and golden doodle to Fort Collins for a change of lifestyle. I now work with children and adults and focus on trauma, maternal mental health, and parenting.

Alright, so let’s dig a little deeper into the story – has it been an easy path overall, and if not, what were the challenges you’ve had to overcome?
My passion for working with pregnant and postpartum moms came from my own experience with postpartum anxiety, depression, and birth trauma. After my oldest son was born and stayed in the NICU, I experienced postpartum anxiety and depression. Even as a therapist, I didn’t fully realize what was happening. Thankfully therapy and medication were available during that challenging time.

When my daughter was born I experienced a life-threatening birth trauma and subsequently had postpartum anxiety again. This time I knew what to look for and sought support quickly. I was already trained in EMDR but doing EMDR therapy as a client to resolve my birth trauma allowed me to see how valuable this treatment is for new mothers.

Over the last few years, I have been using EMDR more and more with parents and have seen how effective it is for new parents. When parents are not constantly being triggered by their childhood or their pregnancies, losses, and birthing experience, they can remain regulated during stressful parenting moments. This results in less yelling and power struggles and more connection with their kids. I have seen this for myself and my family as well!

Thanks for sharing that. So, maybe next you can tell us a bit more about your business?
As a Clinical Social Worker in private practice, I love being able to offer therapy services to kids, teens, and adults.

My private practice includes working with children and adults and focuses on trauma and parenting work. I am Certified in Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing (EMDR) and use this trauma modality with most of my clients. I am also trained in perinatal mental health and I love the intersection between healing our past traumas and perinatal experience so we can parent the way we hoped to.

One thing that sets me apart from other providers is my training in using Sandtray therapy in combination with EMDR. Sandtray therapy is amazing when working with children or adults who are more expressive nonverbally, and it is amazing when paired with EMDR. The sand helps with sensory regulation and provides another way to access memories.

This is especially effective with early trauma or experiences where the client may have been dissociating. Watching clients shift and change their trays between sets is almost magical. My Sandtray is hidden in my coffee table so you may not notice it right away. Anything in the office can go in the Sandtray and I love seeing what people choose. I am honored to walk alongside every person who comes into my office and shares their Sandtray world with me.

I am proud to offer parenting support sessions in the form of bundled packages and workshops. In the workshops we discuss the long-term benefits of respectful parenting and practice skills to address challenging behaviors. My favorite part is exploring what our kiddo’s behavior is trying to communicate to us and learning to identify the needs behind these behaviors. Only then can we start to address these needs so we see less of the behaviors at home.

We will discuss the long-term benefits of respectful parenting and practice skills to address challenging behaviors. My favorite part is exploring what our kiddo’s behavior is trying to communicate to us and learning to identify the needs behind these behaviors. Only then can we start to address these needs so we see less of the behaviors at home.

Alright, so to wrap up, is there anything else you’d like to share with us?
I share information on Respectful Parenting and Trauma Therapy on my Instagram page.

You can find me here: @sowhatihearyousayingis.

Pricing:

• Workshops begin at $40
• Individual Therapy $150 per 50 min
• Parenting packages: Four Session Package: $450 ($150 savings over full fee services)

Contact Info:

• Website: www.sarahdeluca.com
• Instagram: www.instagram.com/sowhatihearyousayingis
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100092008718299