Why I Do This Work
Sara Giles, MSW, LCSW, BCD
Helping People Get Their Lives and Freedom Back is My True Passion
There are few things more powerful than witnessing someone rediscover who they truly are—after years of indoctrination, coercive control, spiritual fear, or living within systems that demanded obedience at the cost of self.
For many survivors of high-control groups, the journey back to personal agency and inner truth can feel overwhelming. Therapy played a pivotal role in my own understanding of how these systems operate, and it’s an honor to now hold space for others doing this brave, disorienting, and deeply meaningful work. I don’t take it lightly.
Whether you’re in the early stages of leaving, rebuilding your identity after separation, or learning how to trust your own voice again, I’m here to support you. Together, we’ll work toward clarity, confidence, and a grounded sense of self that isn’t shaped by fear, doctrine, or the expectations of any group—only by you.
What Led Me Here
For the past 15 years, I’ve had the privilege of walking alongside people from many different backgrounds — from individuals escaping coercive environments, to unhoused veterans, to elite military teams facing chronic pressure and scrutiny. Nearly seven of those years were spent as a mental health officer in the U.S. Navy, where I supported service members navigating trauma, high-stress demands, and leadership dynamics that often left them feeling voiceless or unseen.
During that time, I also partnered with military leadership — helping them shift from punitive, ineffective control strategies toward approaches rooted in dignity, accountability, and psychological safety.
That chapter profoundly shaped how I practice today. It revealed how systems — whether religious, military, or organizational — can shape identity, limit autonomy, and leave invisible wounds long after someone leaves. It also deepened my understanding of how trauma embeds itself in the body, influences decision-making, and disrupts self-perception — and why genuine safety (emotional, physical, and relational) is the foundation for meaningful recovery.
My path into this work is personal. I was raised in a coercive religious group (JW), and like many survivors I now work with, I had to unravel my worth from what I was conditioned to believe. Learning to stop over-functioning, abandon people-pleasing, and trust my inner voice has been a deliberate, ongoing journey — one that allows me to meet clients with lived understanding, deep empathy, and unwavering respect.
This is the heart of my work: helping people reclaim the parts of themselves they were never allowed to own.
What Therapy Looks Like With Me
My approach strikes the perfect balance between being warm and relational, and direct and grounded. Together, we slow down, make sense of what you were taught, and gently deconstruct the beliefs and fears that were planted in you. My role is not to give you answers, but to help you reconnect with the inner knowing that was overshadowed or discouraged for so long - to discover who you are.
At the center of our work is helping you become more self-led—trusting your intuition, honoring your needs, and developing a sense of identity that comes from within rather than from a system of control.
In our work together, we will:
Explore and deconstruct the narratives and conditioning that shaped your sense of self
Strengthen your connection to your own intuition and internal guidance
Rebuild a relationship with the parts of you that were silenced or overlooked
Support you in creating a life—and relationships—rooted in your values, not someone else’s expectations
My goal is to offer a space that feels steady, validating, and empowering as you learn to trust yourself again and lead from your own inner truth.
Training & Experience
EDUCATION
Bachelors in Social Work from the University of Georgia (cum laude)
Masters Degree in Social Work (magna cum laude) from the University of Maryland
LICENSURE & CERTIFICATIONS
LCSW via NCSWCLB, since 2012
BCD - Board Certified Diplomate of Clinical Social Work
CLINICAL EXPERIENCE
15 years’ total experience as a clinical therapist
CLINICAL TRAINING
Cognitive Behavioral Therapy & TF-CBT
Cognitive Behavioral Therapy - for Insomnia (CBT-I)
Prolonged Exposure Therapy
Cognitive Processing Therapy
EMDR
IFS - Internal Family Systems / Parts Work
MILITARY EXPERIENCE
Four yeas of direct consulting experience with executive military leadership
14 month deployment to the most remote duty station in the world (Diego Garcia / BIOT)
7 years’ total experience as US Navy Officer / LT - O3 and Mental Health Provider for the Aviation and Surface Warfare Communities
AWARDS
Navy & Marine Corps Commendation Medal (2)
Navy & Marine Corps Achievement Medal
A Few Things That Matter to Me
Helping clients become the main character in their own story
Teaching boundaries in a way that feels empowering, not punishing
Laughing in session when it’s needed—because healing doesn’t have to be heavy
Encouraging people to stop settling for crumbs in life
Honoring intersectional identities and creating an inclusive, affirming space
Being a lifelong learner (and human) right alongside you
When you're ready, I'm here.
If something in my approach or values resonates with you, I’d love to connect. The first step is a free phone consultation where we can talk through what you're looking for and whether working together feels like a good fit.