About Sarah
Before becoming a therapist and coach, I spent many years as a public school teacher. I began my career teaching middle school language arts and later became an English language teacher, working with K–12 students from different countries who were learning English.
I later lived and worked abroad for nearly ten years, teaching English to adults from a wide range of countries, cultures, backgrounds, and beliefs. I taught conversational English to adults in Bangkok, Thailand; university students majoring in English in Java, Indonesia; and executives at Samsung Corporation in Seoul, South Korea.
What I loved most about teaching was getting to know my students as individuals. I wanted to understand who they were, where they came from, and what mattered to them—and make what we were learning relevant to their lives so they could communicate with greater confidence and ease outside the classroom.
That same philosophy shapes the way I work today.
My goal is to help you reduce what’s getting in the way.
I work to understand what’s getting in your way and I use approaches that seem most direct and helpful. Sometimes that means working directly with a fear, trigger, or performance block using ART-informed techniques. Other times, it may involve exploring a limiting belief, internal conflict, or recurring pattern. We may explore how your body responds to stress, such as tightness in your neck or shoulders, and use somatic techniques to help guide the work.
My goal is simple: To help you move beyond what's getting in your way, approach challenges with greater confidence and ease, and leave with meaningful changes and practical tools you can carry forward on your own—so you can enjoy what you do.
My approach
Focused, evidence-informed, individualized
My approach draws on an understanding of how the brain, body, and mind respond to stress, pressure, and past experiences.
I use Accelerated Resolution Therapy (ART)-informed techniques, along with other body-based and practical coaching approaches, to help clients recognize and shift patterns that interfere with confidence and performance.
Sometimes, even when we understand something intellectually, our emotional and physical reactions don't seem to catch up. My work focuses on helping clients move beyond those automatic responses so they can approach challenging situations with greater confidence, clarity, and ease.
My coaching is focused, individualized, and intended to be short-term.
Education & Professional Training
B.A. in Psychology — University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill
M.A. in Clinical Mental Health Counseling, Minor in Integrated Behavioral Health — New Mexico State University
Licensed Clinical Mental Health Counselor (LCMHC) — North Carolina
Advanced Training in Accelerated Resolution Therapy (A.R.T.)
Certified Adult Chair® Coach
Mindfulness Training Institute — Berkeley, California
Looking for Therapy?
In addition to coaching, I provide psychotherapy to adult residents in North Carolina through my separate clinical practice. If you're interested in therapy rather than coaching, you can learn more through my Psychology Today profile.
Testimonials
“Sarah truly cares about helping you make progress and lasting change. My session with her really helped me shift internally, and I left feeling so much better!”
- Lindsey
“As far as therapists/coaches go, Sarah Pearsall is one of the greats. Opening up to someone new can be challenging, but she makes it feel natural. She is 100% present while you’re speaking, she creates a safe space for sharing the darkest parts of yourself, if that’s part of the conversation, and she has a gentle presence that is both therapeutic and nurturing without being ‘motherly.’”
— B.Z.
"Sarah helped me realize the real reason behind my feelings and why I feel the way I do. By doing ART, picturing the situation, and rewriting the scene, it provided me with clarity toward my feelings and actions. This understanding makes me feel seen and better equipped to move forward."
- Beth