Sarah Gilberg, Psy.D.

Sarah Gilberg, Psy.D., Licensed Psychologist

Dr. Sarah Gilberg is currently a post-doctoral resident supervised by Dr. Nicole Swaggerty-Valdes. Sarah provides therapy and psychological testing to adult patients and is currently accepting patients for in-person and telehealth therapy. Sarah works from a trauma-informed, relational psychodynamic approach and integrates various interventions (attachment, self-compassion, systems, ACT) to best fit each individual’s unique needs. Sarah enthusiastically welcomes patients of all identities (gender, sexual orientation, race/ethnicity, culture, immigration status, international, age, ability status, religion etc.).

Sarah completed her undergraduate degree at the University of Michigan and earned her Master’s and Psy.D. in Clinical Psychology from the Chicago School of Professional Psychology. Sarah has trained extensively in college counseling settings with diverse populations, which has given her a breadth of capability to treat adults across the lifespan. Two of three universities are federally designated Hispanic Serving Institutions. She completed her APA-accredited doctoral internship at the University of Houston (Clear Lake) Counseling and Mental Health Center. She trained at the University of Chicago Student Wellness Center as well as Northeastern Illinois University Student Counseling Services. She also provided both couples and individual therapy in private practice in Chicago. She is skilled in integrated psychological assessment with training experience testing with adults in a private practice and with children and adolescents in a therapeutic day school.

Sarah aims to develop a warm, genuine therapeutic relationship with each patient to foster safety and trust needed for authenticity and vulnerability. She believes that the relationship itself often drives the change desired in therapy. Through this relationship, Sarah guides patients toward improvement. Sarah gently challenges her patients from a curious, nonjudgemental stance to better understand themselves. This often translates into improved relationship with self and others, as well as a more authentic, values-driven life.

Multiculturalism and social justice are central to Sarah’s approach to all patient work. Prior to starting her Psy.D., Sarah worked as a diversity, equity, and inclusion nonprofit consultant and public speaker. She believes that one’s intersectional identity, including how their environment interacts with their identity, inherently impacts one’s life. Sarah’s dissertation focused on best practices for White therapists working with Black clients in an effort to become even better equipped to provide quality therapy to BIPOC clients.

Sarah specializes in relational challenges, identity development, life transitions/adjustments, trauma (complex, PTSD, identity-based), young adult/college aged difficulties, mood disorders (anxiety and depression), and grief, as well as Yalom-style process groups. She also has background in eating concerns and adults with autism spectrum disorder.