- Emotionally-Focused Therapy
- Attachment-based work
- Client-centered approach
About Sara
Sara Tinker is an LCSW licensed in Tennessee with 26 years of clinical experience. She works with people facing stress, anxiety, relationship struggles, trauma and abuse, depression, addictions, grief, and a wide range of related concerns.
Sara uses Emotionally-Focused Therapy among other approaches to help people name and work with hard emotions and recurring interaction patterns. She also draws on attachment-based ideas and client-centered methods to help people understand how early bonds shape current relationships. Sessions are conversational and focused on what matters to the client right now.
Her background includes graduate social work training at the University of Tennessee, Knoxville, and earlier graduate study in exercise physiology and wellness. She has experience in community mental health, clinics for victims of sexual abuse, adolescent psychiatric and addiction settings, and long-term private practice that began in 1992.
Over the years she has worked with issues such as chronic pain and autoimmune conditions, caregiving stress, blended family concerns, intimacy-related problems, body image and identity questions, and compassion fatigue. She has also engaged with programs supporting women affected by addiction and exploitation.
Sara combines relational, somatic, and behavioral perspectives when appropriate. She uses talk-based methods alongside approaches that attend to the body and emotions, and she stays current with additional trainings that inform her work. Many clients come for help with clearer communication, healthier boundaries, and stronger emotional connection.
How her approaches translate to online work
Emotionally-Focused Therapy (EFT) focuses on identifying and reshaping emotional responses and interaction patterns. It helps people recognize hard-to-name feelings and change recurring cycles that hurt relationships or personal wellbeing.Attachment-Based Therapy looks at how early caregiving and attachment experiences influence present relationships and emotional reactions. It can help with attachment issues, abandonment concerns, and patterns that repeat across relationships.
Client-Centered Therapy centers the person's experience and priorities. The therapist follows the client's lead, reflects what is shared, and helps clarify goals and choices for daily life.
Finding the right approach is part of the work. Sara will collaborate with each person to decide which methods fit their needs, goals, and preferences. That collaborative process helps shape session focus over time rather than committing to a single technique from the start.
Confirm current session options before booking so you know which formats are offered. Online sessions can make it easier to fit therapy into a busy schedule, allow shorter check-ins when needed, and reduce travel time. Therapists can adapt techniques like EFT and attachment work to virtual sessions so the conversation and emotion-focused exercises remain useful while fitting into everyday life.
Areas of expertise
Primary focus
Also works with
Additional focus areas
Therapeutic approaches
Experience
26+ years
Listed in
Tennessee
Languages
English
Frequently asked questions
What kinds of problems does she help with?
Sara works with stress, anxiety, depression, relationship issues, trauma and abuse, addictions, grief, self-esteem, parenting strain, and related concerns listed in her profile.
How would you describe her therapeutic style?
She uses Emotionally-Focused Therapy alongside attachment-based and client-centered approaches. Sessions focus on emotions, relationship patterns, and practical communication skills.
How much clinical experience does she have?
She has 26 years of experience in clinical settings including community mental health, adolescent psychiatric and addiction services, and private practice since 1992.
What are her credentials and where is she licensed?
She is an LCSW licensed in Tennessee.
Can I work with her in a language other than English?
Sessions are offered in English.
Does she accept clients from other countries?
She does not accept international clients at this time.
How are fees handled?
Cost varies with location and sessions are provided through a subscription that can be canceled at any time.
How do I begin if I want to work with her?
Start by selecting the See online therapy options button, complete the short matching questionnaire, and schedule your first session.
Profile details come from information the therapist supplied to BetterHelp. Credential and registration rules differ between the United States, the United Kingdom and Australia.