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Sarah Pals, LCPC

Sarah Pals, LCPC

Psychotherapist
IL
5.00
“Sarah is a fantastic therapist who listens to me, validates me, and provides alternate ways of thinking that have improved my quality of life. ”
MB
Highly recommended
100% of patients gave this doctor 5 stars
Excellent wait time
100% of patients waited less than 30 minutes

Book an appointment on Zocdoc

The office partners with Zocdoc to schedule appointments
External video visit

Scheduling details

  1. See if they are in network

Tomorrow, Apr 22 – Tue, May 5
View more availability

What patients are saying

Overall rating

5.00

Average wait time

5.00

Bedside manner

5.00
“Sarah is a fantastic therapist who listens to me, validates me, and provides alternate ways of thinking that have improved my quality of life. ”
MBLess than 6 months ago
“I’ve had a really positive experience with Sarah. From the beginning, she made me feel comfortable and understood. She’s incredibly insightful, and her observations often help things click in a way that feels natural and supportive. I always feel heard in our sessions, and I’ve gained a better understanding of myself over time. I’m very grateful for their approach and would recommend them to others seeking thoughtful and compassionate care.”
MWLess than 6 months ago

About Sarah Pals

Focus areas

Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT)
Depression
Life Transition
Anxiety
Existential Anxiety
Psychodynamic Therapy
Attachment Disorder
Humanistic Therapy

Clientele seen

Young adults (18-24)
Individuals
Adults (25-64)
Seniors (65+)

Treatment approaches

Acceptance and Commitment (ACT)
Coaching
Attachment-based
Cognitive Behavioral (CBT)
Clinical Supervision and Licensed Supervisors
Culturally Sensitive

Identity

Gender

Female

Sexuality

Straight

Faith

Nonreligious

Ethnicity

White

Languages spoken

English

Getting to know Sarah Pals

I believe one of the bravest things you can do is begin to understand your own story. We all deserve a life that feels meaningful and fulfilling—one that supports not only survival, but growth, purpose, and inner peace. In our work together, I value slowing down, unplugging, and exploring your strengths, challenges, and values with curiosity and care. Rooted in an integrative approach, I draw on the mind-body connection and incorporate mindfulness, somatic awareness, and breathwork to help regulate the nervous system and bring presence to our work. These practices are deeply informed by Buddhist psychology, which emphasizes awareness, compassion, and liberation from suffering through deepened consciousness. Therapy can help meet foundational emotional needs like safety, belonging, and self-worth—what Maslow described as essential building blocks on the path to self-actualization. As these needs are met, we can begin to access higher states of personal growth, authenticity, and spiritual integration. Drawing from Transpersonal, Psychodynamic, Jungian, Existential, and Mindfulness-based therapies, I support clients in exploring not just their pain, but their potential.

What should a new client know about working with you?

In therapy, we’ll explore your current struggles—whether anxiety, identity, perfectionism, low self-esteem, or life transitions—as well as the deeper roots: early relationships, unconscious patterns, internalized beliefs, and the parts of you that may have been silenced or disconnected. Together, we’ll work to integrate all aspects of your being—body, mind, and spirit—moving toward wholeness and self-actualization. If you’re navigating self-criticism, feeling “not good enough,” or longing for deeper meaning, this space is for reconnecting with your inherent worth, cultivating conscious awareness, and stepping into a more authentic, expansive version of yourself.

What is your typical process for working with clients?

My process begins by creating a safe, compassionate space where you can feel seen and supported. In our early sessions, we’ll explore what brings you in, clarify your goals, and begin to understand how your current challenges may be connected to deeper patterns, beliefs, or life experiences. I use an integrative, insight-oriented approach—drawing from psychodynamic, transpersonal, mindfulness-based, and somatic perspectives. Sessions are collaborative and flexible, blending present-focused work with deeper exploration. As we build trust, we’ll work not only to reduce distress but to reconnect with your strengths, values, and a more authentic sense of self. Over time, therapy can help you shift unhelpful patterns, heal emotional wounds, and feel more grounded, whole, and empowered in your life.

Is this doctor in your insurance network?

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In-network insurances

Aetna
BlueCross BlueShield
Cigna
UnitedHealthcare
UnitedHealthcare Oxford
100+ more in-network plans

Don’t see your insurance?

It’s common for mental health providers to be out-of-network. Many insurance plans offer out-of-network coverage, so you may get partially reimbursed. Learn more

More information on payments and coverage

I accept both self-pay and insurance. I charge $150 for self-pay appointments: both initial session and ongoing for 53 minute sessions. I do provide self-pay sliding scale of $50-100 depending on the case. I accept the following health insurances: Aetna PPO BlueCross and BlueShield of IL PPO Oxford/ Optum Cigna UnitedHealthcare UHC | UBH Ascension (Smarthealth) Carelon Quest

Popular visit reasons

Depression
Hoarding Disorder
New Patient Visit
Nightmares
Psychotherapy
Psychotherapy Intake / Initial Visit
Sleep Problems
Young Adult Issues
Depression
Hoarding Disorder
New Patient Visit
Nightmares

Education and background

Practice names

Education and training

  • Roosevelt University, Chicago, Master's in Clinical Psychology
  • Eastern Illinois University (Bachelor's)

NPI number

1982375101

Patient reviews

All reviews have been submitted by patients after interacting with the practice.
Overall rating
5.00
Wait time
5.00
Bedside manner
5.00
Trust Banner Shield
Your trust is our top concern, so providers can't pay to alter or remove reviews. We also don't publish reviews that contain any private patient health information. Learn more here
35 reviews
Most relevant
Sarah is empathic and great at taking the time to get to know and understand her patients.
Great experience and will be seeing Sarah again in the future!
Verified patientVideo visit
Great appointment. She laid out what we are going to walk on.
My experience was great! Great listeners! Easy to talk to!
Sarah is a fantastic therapist who listens to me, validates me, and provides alternate ways of thinking that have improved my quality of life.
I’ve had a really positive experience with Sarah. From the beginning, she made me feel comfortable and understood. She’s incredibly insightful, and her observations often help things click in a way that feels natural and supportive. I always feel heard in our sessions, and I’ve gained a better understanding of myself over time. I’m very grateful for their approach and would recommend them to others seeking thoughtful and compassionate care.
Sarah is amazing. I always feel heard and respected, and her insights helped me better understand myself and my patterns. The sessions were well-guided and genuinely helpful, and I appreciated her calm, compassionate approach. I would highly recommend Sarah to anyone looking for a supportive and skilled therapist.
She listens carefully and creates a space where I feel truly safe to talk openly. There is no judgment at all, which makes it much easier to be honest and vulnerable. She helped me understand my situation clearly and guided me toward resolving the issues I was struggling with. I’m very grateful for her support and highly recommend her.
Sarah is a thoughtful and engaging therapist who cares deeply about understanding her clients and meeting them where they are. With a practice rooted deeply in her love for Buddhist philosophy, Sarah encourages her clients to find what gives them purpose and joy and to do those things without the pressure of perfection. I started therapy wanting someone to complain to, but what I got was so much better. Sarah makes me feel adequate as I am while still inspiring me to be a better person. With Sarah I have been learning about how to face my emotional avoidance, to forgive myself for my mistakes, to work with not against my ADHD, how to lead with love not fear/passion not anxiety, and how to set boundaries with the people I love. Sarah is a phenomenal therapist and I cannot recommend her enough.
Sarah is very insightful and has useful advice that is worth hearing. She is patient too; I highly recommend her, unless you’d prefer to pass up a great therapist. The choice is yours.
Sarah is a great therapist. She helped me to understand what was going on inside and make some adjustments in my life in order to alleviate my anxiety and depression. I think she is quite capable of tailoring her approach to the unique individual.
I’ve had Sarah as a the therapist with Sarah for close to 3 years now and have nothing but great things to say! The multitude of effective methods for outward thinking is amazing from podcasts to books to read she’s been amazing in helping me discover more about myself! :)
Sarah is awesome! I’ve been seeing her for about a year now and every session she’s patient, thoughtful, and always has my best interest in mind. She’s helped me through so much already and open my eyes to a lot of things but I would not have been able to see without her. I’m so appreciative of her and highly recommend.
I have been going to Sarah for over a year and it has been wonderful! She is the best therapist you can ask for. She knows exactly what to say and what to do in every situation. I cannot tell you how many times she has helped me. She is a great listener and her advice never fails. What’s great about her is that she always gives you opinions/wisdom from another perspective that you would have never thought of. The recommendations and activities she gives to you is top notch. She is the ideal therapist and yet she still tries to perfect her craft. 1000% recommend her to anybody!!
Sarah has been a major positive in my life since starting to see her over 1.5 years ago. She has helped me overcome challenges in my life and helped me get back to center. I would highly recommend seeing her if you are looking for a great therapist.
I really enjoy my therapy sessions with Sarah! She is very approachable and I felt comfortable sharing from the beginning. I especially like that Sarah helps me reframe my thinking by giving me a few “assignments” or even books to read. I would highly recommend Sarah as a therapist!
Sarah is an amazing therapist and has helped me changed my life and deal with issues that I have never dealt with before. She is kind and really takes the time to invest in you. My life has changed in so many ways and I owe it in part to Sarah. You won’t be sorry by having her as your therapist. When I first started seeing Sarah I didn’t know how to communicate, feel emotions or even deal with anxiety. With her help I learned tools that help me in my everyday life and also when challenging issues creep up on you. I can’t ask for a better person to be my therapist.
I felt comfortable with Dr. Pals from the moment we started talking. She's a great listener and her approach to self improvement is very much in line with how I think. I'm excited to see how things progress as I continue to on this journey to improve my mental health.
Verified patientVideo visit
Video visit
Verified patient
Verified patient
Verified patient
Verified patient
Frequently asked questions

How soon can I make an appointment with Sarah Pals?

Generally, Sarah Pals has appointments available on Zocdoc within 1 week. You can see Sarah Pals's earliest availability on Zocdoc and make an appointment online.

Is Sarah Pals accepting new patients?

Sarah Pals generally accepts new patients on Zocdoc. You can see Sarah Pals's earliest availability on Zocdoc and schedule an appointment online.

Does Sarah Pals accept my insurance?

Choose your insurance plan to verify if Sarah Pals is in-network.

Can I make an appointment with Sarah Pals online?

Yes, you can make an appointment online with Sarah Pals using Zocdoc. It’s simple, secure, and free.

What practice does Sarah Pals work with?

What are common reasons for patients to see Sarah Pals?

Sarah Pals frequently sees patients for Depression, New Patient Visit, Psychotherapy, Psychotherapy Intake / Initial Visit, and Sleep Problems. You can see other visit reasons for Sarah Pals on their profile.

What languages does Sarah Pals speak?

Sarah Pals speaks English.

How do patients rate Sarah Pals in reviews?

35 patients have reviewed Sarah Pals. The overall rating for this doctor is 5/5. They have a 5/5 rating for bedside manner and a 5/5 rating for wait time. You can read individual reviews and ratings on their profile.

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Zocdoc›Chicago, IL Psychotherapists›Sarah Pals, LCPC