Sarah Johnston MargaridaLCSW

Sarah Johnston Margarida offers warm, practical support for people facing change and emotional strain. She focuses on helping individuals who feel overwhelmed by stress, anxiety, grief, career shifts, or other major life transitions. Her approach is straightforward and grounded in listening first and working toward small, doable steps.

Sarah uses a client-centered style that keeps each session focused on what matters most to the person in front of her. She draws on methods from cognitive behavioral therapy and mindfulness to help people notice unhelpful patterns and try new ways of coping. Motivational interviewing and solution-focused techniques are added when clients want clear goals and short-term plans.

With five years of experience as an LCSW - Licensed Clinical Social Worker - in Maryland, she has supported people with addictions, eating and food-related concerns, fertility issues, and the stresses that come from caregiving or blended family situations. She also works with attachment concerns, codependency, communication struggles, and the fallout of divorce or separation.

Sessions aim to build practical skills rather than only talk about problems. Clients can expect help developing clearer communication, stronger boundaries, and a plan to manage anxiety or cravings. Sarah emphasizes collaboration; she and the client decide which strategies to try next.

Her style is compassionate and nonjudgmental, with an emphasis on real-life changes. People who want to understand their reactions and take small, steady steps forward tend to find this approach helpful.

How therapeutic approaches translate to online work

Client-Centered Therapy focuses on listening and following the client's lead. In online sessions this means the therapist offers empathy and mirrors what the client brings so they can set the pace and goals together. Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) helps identify thoughts and behaviors that keep problems going and then tests simple changes; delivered online, CBT often uses homework and short skill-building exercises between sessions. Mindfulness Therapy teaches attention and grounding skills to reduce stress and reactivity and can be practiced during or after video or phone meetings.

Choosing the right approach is part of the work. The therapist will collaborate with the client to try approaches that match their needs and preferences and will adjust strategies over time based on what helps most. That process is gradual and client-led, with small experiments to track what changes feel useful.

Session formats are not specified in the biography, so confirm the available options before booking. Online therapy can make it easier to fit sessions into a busy day, reduce commute time, or allow shorter check-ins when schedules are tight. It also supports using written materials, screen-shared worksheets, or audio-guided mindfulness practices between meetings to reinforce progress.