Sarah Chelew, AMFT

Get the Right Help to Feel Better – Call (650) 461-9026 or Text (650) 461-9026

Location: Menlo Park, Palo Alto

Ages: All Ages

Type of Therapy: Individual, Family, Children Counseling, Teen Counseling
Experience: 1 year

Sarah Chelew, AMFT

Cognitive Behavioral Therapist, AMFT, Under Licensed Supervision
AMFT #148639

Sarah Chelew is an Associate Marriage and Family Therapist with a deep passion for helping individuals navigate life’s challenges. She earned her Master’s in Counseling from Saint Mary’s College of California, graduating summa cum laude, and dedicates herself to supporting clients of all ages, including children, teens, and adults.

Sarah specializes in addressing a range of issues, including stress, anxiety, OCD, depression, and low self-esteem. Her empathetic and client-centered approach ensures that each individual receives tailored support to meet their unique needs. She is available for in-person sessions at our Palo Alto office, Menlo Park office, and offers video therapy appointments for those who prefer or require remote sessions.

Originally from Monterey, California, Sarah now resides in San Francisco with her amazing partner and their beloved pup, Marsh. She is committed to fostering a safe, supportive, and nurturing environment for her clients, helping them achieve greater well-being and resilience.

Concerns:

  • Anxiety

  • Divorce

  • Life Transitions

  • Academic Stress

  • Relationship Issues

  • Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder (OCD)

  • Stress

  • Anger

  • Family Problems

  • Panic Attacks

  • Social Anxiety

  • Financial Stress

  • Parenting and Discipline

  • Phobias

  • Work/Career

  • Change in Personal Belief System (e.g., Faith, Religion, Values, Morals)

  • Cultural Identity, Conflict, and Adjustment

  • Health Anxiety

  • Isolation/Loneliness

  • School Refusal

  • Depression

  • LGBTQIA+ and Gender Identity

  • Self-Esteem and Body Image

Special Interests:

  • Working with children through big life changes.

Intensive Study/Specialization:

  • Cognitive Behavioral Therapy

Marriage and Family Therapists are mental health professionals trained in psychotherapy with a family systems influence, and licensed to diagnose and treat mental and emotional disorders that affect individuals, couples, and families. The Federal government has designated marriage and family therapy as a core mental health profession along with psychiatry, psychology, social work and psychiatric nursing. The State of California support and regulate the profession by licensing MFTs.

Educational requirements

Marriage and Family Therapists have graduate training (either a masters or doctoral degree) in counseling psychology with an emphasis in marriage and family therapy. Prior to a rigorous exam process leading to licensure, LMFTs must complete at least 3,000 hours of post-graduate clinical experience under the supervision of a licensed mental health professional. Before full licensure, LMFTs are called “Associates”. LMFTs are employed in a variety of private and public settings, including private practice, community mental health centers, and behavioral managed care organizations.

Do LMFTs only work with clients who are having problems in their marriages and families?

No. While LMFTs are qualified to do couples and family therapy, most LMFTs work with individual adults to not only enhance the quality of their relationships, but also decrease symptoms of anxiety, depression, and stress.

How can a LMFT help me?

Like other mental health professionals such as social workers, psychologists, and psychiatrists, LMFTs help clients by diagnosing and treating common emotional and behavioral difficulties that interfere with functioning at an optimal level. LMFTs use empirical-supported counseling techniques to help their clients achieve desired goals.