Trauma • Neurodivergence • Integration
Sara Rands, ACMHC
Therapist. Existential guide. Companion in complexity.
Support for sensitive, smart, and stuck humans
Calm • Clarity • Courage
About Sara
I work with thoughtful, high-functioning adults who’ve spent years relying on logic, and are now ready to feel more, break long-standing cycles, and reconnect with themselves in a deeper way. Many of my clients have insight but still find themselves stuck, yearning for change they can feel, not just understand.I work especially well with gifted, neurodiverse, and highly sensitive clients: analytical minds, deep thinkers, and those who’ve always moved through life a little differently. I bring lived wisdom from cancer survivorship, spiritual transitions, and parenting spectrum kids. With a background in both computer science and English, I offer a calm, curious, and focused presence, and a rare ability to hold emotional complexity without simplifying it.My primary approach is NARM (the NeuroAffective Relational Model), a gentle but powerful therapy for complex and developmental trauma. What I love about NARM is its focus on the here and now—how your past shows up in the present—and its deep respect for your agency. Trauma often robs us of choice; NARM helps you get that choice back. It’s a somatic, mindfulness-based model that invites curiosity rather than judgment. Together, we notice how things land in your body and uncover patterns without pathologizing them. I’m not here to take a side or fix you; just to witness, reflect, and help you get clear about what you want and what gets in the way. It’s deeply relational work, centered on connection: our greatest hope and our deepest fear. For many clients, NARM is the first time they’ve felt truly met.I’m also Master Certified in ART (Accelerated Resolution Therapy), a brain-based trauma therapy that gets results fast. ART is especially powerful for single-incident trauma, phobias, or intrusive images that just won’t go away. It’s creative and deeply respectful, using guided imagery to help you build metaphors that speak directly to the part of the brain that holds trauma. When it works, it works like magic: the emotional charge dissolves, and your body starts responding in ways that match what your logical brain already knows. It’s one of the gentlest trauma therapies I’ve seen, particularly for shock trauma, and can bring profound shifts without having to retell painful stories. That said, it’s not always the best fit for complex or developmental trauma, which is what led me to seek out NARM in the first place. For the right issue, ART is an incredible tool in the kit.For clients interested in deeper work, I also offer ketamine-assisted psychotherapy (KAP) in collaboration with prescribers at Symmetry Counseling. Ketamine opens a window into parts of ourselves that are often hard to reach: old emotional material, long-forgotten patterns, and buried pain that still shapes our lives. In the right context, it’s like shining a flashlight on what’s ready to be healed. I’m continually struck by its depth and power: I’ve seen people shift from despair to vitality, from stuckness to movement, often in just a few sessions. Ketamine supports neuroplasticity, giving the brain a chance to rewire in real time. Its unique anesthetic properties also create a sense of safety, helping you face the hard stuff without feeling overwhelmed. While this field is still evolving, I’m committed to pursuing the best training available, including upcoming certification in psychedelic-assisted therapy through Polaris. My long-term hope is to help shape this space with wisdom, ethics, and trauma-informed care.If your mind is quick but your emotions feel stuck, I can help you find the way forward.___• Associate Clinical Mental Health Counselor, Utah License 13896194-6009
• MA, Clinical Mental Health Counseling, Northwestern University, Evanston, IL, 2024
• BS, Computer Science, Utah Valley University, 2016
• BA, English, Brigham Young University, 1996
Community Engagement
Speaking & Media
I speak on the intersection of mental health, meaning-making, and personal transformation, especially for those navigating life after (or within) high-demand religious systems.
My talks blend research, lived experience, and therapeutic insight, with a voice that's warm, thoughtful, and a bit irreverent.Upcoming Talks
• October 26, 2025 – Salt Lake Oasis:
The Neuropathway Less Traveled: Practices for Healing and Growth
Community Talks
• My Beef with the Buddha: Reclaiming attachment and connection
• Emotions for Overthinkers: A crash course in emotional literacy for intellectual types
• Navigating the Void: Existential therapy for the post-religious
Podcasts
• ART and Trauma Therapy
• Breast Cancer and Intimacy
• Online Dating Skills
• Faith Transitions and Existential Therapy
Looking to connect?
Contact
I offer individual therapy through Symmetry Counseling in Holladay, Utah, in person and through telehealth.
For questions or to schedule, please contact me there:
