Sarah James

Sarah received her Masters in Clinical Mental Health Counseling from Appalachian State University. She is Dual-licensed in Clinical Mental Health and Addictions Counseling in North Carolina.

Self-esteem & Empowerment | Identity Exploration | Emerging Personality Disorder Features | Trauma | Anxiety | Depression

Sarah considers herself a life-long learner in the areas of autism spectrum disorders and gender-affirming care.

Sarah believes that authenticity, emotional immediacy, honesty, and assertive communication are foundations for healthy, meaningful relationships. She works to create experiential therapeutic interventions that highlight incongruencies between individuals’ external presentation and internal values. Sarah believes that when adolescents become more aware of their behaviors and emotional needs, they have opportunities to make more intentional and empowered choices. 

Sarah earned her Master of Arts in Clinical Mental Health Counseling with a certificate in Addictions Counseling from Appalachian State University in Boone, NC, and a Bachelor of Science in Psychology with minors in Business and Gender & Diversity Studies from Xavier University in Cincinnati, OH. Sarah is both a Licensed Clinical Mental Health Counselor and a Licensed Clinical Addictions Specialist in the state of North Carolina.

Prior to working at Trails, Sarah has worked in residential healing communities, helping adults with severe and persistent mental illness diagnoses as well as co-occurring substance use disorders.  She has also worked in other wilderness therapy settings, helping both adolescent and adult students heal by promoting resilience and self-awareness. 

Sarah was born and raised in Charleston, West Virginia, and enjoys hiking, camping, gardening, crafting, and amateur herbalism. In 2018, she completed a solo thru-hike of the Colorado Trail (500 miles from Denver to Durango). When not in nature, she enjoys spending time with her husband and their two cats, George and Ethel.