Therapy & Counseling in Madison
Become More Embodied. Address The Root Cause.
Psychoanalytic Therapy in Madison ⬨ Online therapy throughout Wisconsin, Kentucky and Oregon
You may often believe, “there’s something wrong with me.” Or maybe feelings such as shame, guilt, fear, and sadness have way too much power over your life. Or you find that the same destructive patterns keep repeating themselves…over and over.
You’ve suffered significant trauma, loss, or gone through major life changes. A space to process these experiences that have profoundly impacted your life could allow for more movement and growth.
You want to do the hard work of healing that you know takes time.
You’re willing to slow down and go deeper into understanding the root causes of what’s going on.
Sara Todd, LCSW
Welcome. I’m glad you’re here.
My name is Sara Todd.
I’ve been working as a psychotherapist since 2013 and working in the mental health field since 2008. Grounded in deep care and curiosity about you and your experience, we will work together to understand your pain. We will prioritize your feelings and emotional experience. My approach is psychoanalytic, meaning we will address the root causes of the issues plaguing you. Over time, with greater self-awareness and more steadiness, you can recognize and stop old patterns– whether that be patterns of thinking, feeling, or in relationship with others. The work of therapy can result in feeling more authentic, experiencing more meaningful relationships, and having a greater sense of agency.
My therapeutic approach is psychoanalytic. What does that mean?
Psychoanalytic therapy invites us to honor the complexity and be deeply curious about your human experience. The full range of your thoughts and feelings are welcomed with openness and interest. Psychoanalytic psychotherapy comes from the tradition of psychoanalysis which acknowledges the central role of the unconscious in your life and provides a way for us to understand your mind. We will recognize that symptoms, problems, and struggles have meaning and that learning about their meaning allows you to see your struggles in context.
Our work will focus on your emotional life and in putting words to feelings that may be troubling, threatening, or unacknowledged. We will be curious about ways you avoid things that are threatening or frightening with the goal of deeper insight. We will identify recurring themes and ways you willingly or unwillingly recreate specific patterns. Psychoanalytic psychotherapy emphasizes past experiences as they bring greater understanding to the present.
The therapeutic relationship is central to a psychoanalytic way of working. The relationship built between therapist and client is crucial to the work and this includes thoughts or feelings the client may have about the therapist. Change occurs when greater insight into unconscious thoughts and feelings come together with the present-moment, embodied, and relational experience of the therapy process.
Treatment Specialtites
Depression
Acute Trauma & Relational Trauma
LGBTQ+ Issues
Mourning & Grief Counseling
Eco/Social/Political Grief
Chronic Illness & Chronic Pain
Childhood Emotional Neglect
Anxiety
College Students
Mindfulness
Therapy in Madison ⬨ Teletherapy throughout Wisconsin, Kentucky & Oregon
In-person sessions located in the Schenk-Atwood neighborhood on the Madison isthmus. Therapy suite is on the corner of Atwood Ave. and Winnebago St. (above Sokol EyeCare and Bar Corallini) and can be easily accessed taking the Bus Rapid Transit Route A or Local Route C.
Online therapy throughout Wisconsin, Kentucky & Oregon. Video or phone sessions conducted using private, secure platforms.