Sarah Spence, LPC

08/16/2022

***ATTENTION ALL MEMBERS OF THE PUBLIC***

Be sure to mark your calendars as you don’t want to miss the opportunity to attend and hear this message.

This seminar is open to ALL. Use the link below to reserve your spot.

https://www.eventbrite.com/e/travis-howze-post-traumatic-purpose-tickets-390642090007

06/12/2022

June is PTSD awareness month…
“Did you know that nearly 37 percent of EMS personnel and firefighters in the US have contemplated su***de at some point in their lives? This is nearly 10 times the rate in average Americans.”

First responders are at very high risk for developing many different mental health issues, such as anxiety, depression, and especially PTSD.

02/02/2022

Today was hard, heavy, and painful. The four years I spent at Bridgewater College were filled with some of the best memories, friendships, and learning experiences of my life. It was there that I really started coming into my own, developing my identity, and setting the course for my life. Whether I was learning in class, having long conversations late into the night with the girls in Daleville, grabbing a bite to eat at the Eagle’s Nest, enjoying a football game with friends, or taking in the scenery walking across campus it all became a part of me. I still remember the day my roommate and I moved out of our dorm for the last time and the sadness I felt when taking our small dry erase board off the outside of our door that said “Sarah & Lizzie’s Room.”

Bridgewater held all of it and gave me a safe space in which to learn, explore, and grow. Even now, almost 18 years later, I get filled with happiness and nostalgia when I drive by the school as I point out my dorm to my kids or tell them about one of my fond college memories. It’s all still a part of me.

Today was also hard being the wife of a law enforcement officer because I know that two sets of families’ worst nightmares came true. It’s that same nightmare that all of us LEO spouses and partners push into the back of our minds everyday. We are always aware that we could get that same call, but we pray it will never come true. It’s one of those hard fears that we carry but rarely discuss, and we feel it deep in our souls when we know someone got that call.

I became a Certified First Responder Counselor because of the passion and care I have for first responders and their families. It is hard in these situations because we often feel powerless to help. I can’t do much, but I am opening some therapy spots for any first responders/first responder family members affected by this tragedy at no cost to them. If you know of anyone who may benefit from this, please share.

01/09/2022

This past summer, I attended a training to become certified in Critical Incident Stress Management. There were many law-enforcement officers present in that training, and several of them had served in the military prior to entering their law enforcement careers. One of those gentlemen said something that really stuck with me. He said, “I was so shocked when I started in law enforcement and realized that the law enforcement field is at least ten years behind the military with regards to how they approach mental health.”

In my interactions with law enforcement officers over the years, there is definitely still a “suck it up buttercup” approach to mental health within the field, but I have also seen that approach shifting more in recent years which is encouraging. This article sums it up best when it says, “The great and tragic irony is – given what LEOs deal with as part of the job: su***des, murders, rapes, crimes against children, graphic accidents, violence, depravity, and so on – they are by matter of course in the most need of continuous mental health care.”

Today is Law Enforcement Appreciation day, and I encourage you to, not only give appreciation, but to also commit to help stop the stigma of mental health in law enforcement. Make sure the officers you know (and their families) are caring for themselves and getting access to any help they may need.

Any good LEO will tell you: anything that could be perceived as weakness or incompetency could be reputation destroying, and even career ending.

11/25/2021

The power of gratitude! Happy Thanksgiving!

https://www.psychologytoday.com/us/blog/what-mentally-strong-people-dont-do/201504/7-scientifically-proven-benefits-gratitude?amp

You'll be grateful that you made the change (and you'll sleep better).

05/22/2021

I am a Licensed Professional Counselor and Certified First Responder Counselor passionate about helping individuals, couples, and families with working through their struggles and strengthening resilience in their lives. I have worked with a diverse group of populations in a variety of settings over the past 15 years providing individual, couples, family, and group therapy to children, adolescents, and adults. I have worked extensively with trauma/PTSD, anxiety, depression, and addiction disorders. As the wife of a first responder for over 14 years, I am also passionate about helping first responders and their families navigate the unique challenges and struggles that accompany these professions.

I graduated From Bridgewater College in 2004 with a double major in psychology and sociology. After working for a year as a probation officer, I decided to pursue a counseling degree due to the need I saw in the area of mental health in our locality. I graduated with an MA, Ed.S. in Clinical Mental Health Counseling from James Madison University in 2011.

I utilize multiple techniques and approaches including Eye Movement Desensitization Reprocessing (EMDR) and Cognitive Behavioral Therapy to assist with healing and reaching your goals.

I am currently accepting new patients (adolescents and adults) and will be offering in person sessions starting on June 2, 2021 at my office location at Highlight Behavioral and Educational Services, 2303 N. Augusta St., Suite D, Staunton VA 24401. I will continue to provide telehealth sessions as well. I truly feel honored to provide mental health services in our community!