Meet Sara
In the last psychotherapy session I had with a client who suffered from an eating disorder that I had worked with for three years I asked her why she chose me. She had interviewed seven other psychotherapists before making a decision. "It was George," she replied. George is my black lab mix with winsome eyes and a loving spirit. Her answer surprised me. But what it illustrates is the complexity of therapy and the mystery of what sustains the healing process. Sometimes healing comes from the renewal of a bond with a relative, or an empathetic moment with a friend, or the love of the therapist's dog. But in most cases eating-disordered people experience prolonged periods
of emotional isolation that interferes with psychological growth. The emphasis of my work is to provide a warm and nurturing setting so that a relationship can grow between us. I encourage clients to tell the stories of their lives through journal-writing, guided imagery, and trauma work, hoping that through the process of psychotherapy, a new narrative emerges because of our relationship that allows the birth of other healing bonds. Helping them discover the other unfulfilled hungers that are covered over by their obsession changes the original story.
More: a book about Sara's life
In this revealing memoir the author, a psychotherapist specializing in eating disorders, adds to the knowledge about hunger by tracing her own struggles and in the course of this journey she redefines for herself and the reader the meaning of wanting more.
She writes about a life of longing and emptiness, enlightenment and fulfillment. Her voice is remarkable for its clear notes and for its "attitude."
The author is unflinchingly honest as she describes her fear of the"chubbette" section in the department store as a girl, her flamboyant appetite, her search for sexual companionship, her feminist bat mitzvah, her search for love and at last her determination to be heard on the page.
Chapters stitched together by "the hunger reports" chronicle an astonishing life, astonishingly written.
Work and offerings
background
I have been a licensed clinical social worker for over thirty years, and have worked in many modalities. I am certified in sex therapy, have trained as a therapist at the C.G. Jung Institute in Los Angeles, led groups using writing for personal growth as well as overcoming compulsive eating groups. I am a storyteller, writer and psychotherapist. As a psychotherapist I help my clients find meaning in the telling and retelling of their stories. As a writer, I delve deeply into my own personal and cultural history, and as a storyteller, I choose to tell stories that provide connection and give honor to my own feminine Jewish ancestry. I also write plays, and two of them have been performed in Los Angeles at the East-West Playhouse.
current offerings
In September I am starting a group based on my book. It is called More: A Hunger Group. It will be held weekly for an hour and a half. We will be focusing on wanting more and the hungers that are hidden behind the obsession with food. If you are interested in the group please either e-mail me or call me.