Sandra McCarthy, CMHC

I help individuals and couples break free from people-pleasing, reclaim their voice, and build emotionally safe, fulfilling relationships.

I work with individuals and couples who are thoughtful, self-aware, and ready to understand themselves more deeply—but who feel stuck in patterns that leave them feeling unheard, disconnected, or emotionally exhausted. Many of my clients are people-pleasers, caregivers, or high-functioning adults who have spent years prioritizing others and are now realizing something needs to change.

My approach is relational, compassionate, and grounded in evidence-based therapy. I am trained in the Gottman Method and Emotionally Focused Therapy (EFT), and I help clients understand the emotional patterns and nervous system responses that shape their relationships. Together, we focus on improving communication, strengthening emotional safety, and learning how to express needs and boundaries in ways that feel authentic and sustainable.

I specialize in working with women around self-worth, boundaries, and voice—especially those navigating divorce, post-divorce adjustment, midlife transitions, relationship uncertainty, or the aftermath of emotionally unavailable or controlling dynamics. I also support individuals and couples processing the impact of family-of-origin experiences, rigid belief systems, or high-demand environments that shaped how they learned to relate to others.

For clients going through divorce or rebuilding life afterward, therapy can be a place to grieve, regain stability, and reconnect with your sense of identity and agency. Whether you are deciding whether to stay or leave a relationship, or learning how to trust yourself again after a painful ending, our work focuses on helping you move forward with clarity and self-respect.

Therapy with me is collaborative and nonjudgmental. I believe lasting change happens when people feel safe enough to be honest—with themselves and with others. My goal is not to “fix” you, but to help you better understand your patterns, reconnect with your inner clarity, and build relationships that feel more secure, mutual, and alive.