trauma-informed, holistic, embodied + relational therapy
virtual 1:1 sessions available across Ontario
an invitation to pause
feel your feet on the Earth beneath you, release your jaw, relax your shoulders down your back, inhale, feel your lungs expand, follow with an even longer exhale, letting go, repeat
allow each exhale to drop you deeper into yourself
sarah cifuentes | msw, rsw
human, being | registered social worker | psychotherapist
Welcome!
I am here to support you in your process of healing + self-discovery, to move from surviving to thriving, to access deeper presence and flow within your life, and live a life in alignment with your deeply held values.
My practice is rooted in the belief that within every person exists a wellspring — a source of wisdom, creativity, and innate capacity for healing.
Areas of Training & Interest:
anxiety & depression | relational difficulties | people pleasing & boundaries | perfectionism | reparenting & parts work (internal family systems) | women’s issues | psychedelic preparation, harm reduction & integration | mindfulness & meditation | conscious connected breathwork | shame & resilience | highly sensitive people | sex & sensuality | embodiment | self-compassion & self-worth | EMDR therapy for trauma & PTSD | dreamwork
therapeutic offerings
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Personalized 1:1 sessions to support you to cultivate self-awareness, identify deeply rooted patterns + habits, deepen your relationship to yourself and others, gain tools to effectively manage stress and difficult emotions, shift patterns to live a life in alignment with your personal values, more connected to your body, mind and spirit.
I utilize a holistic and integrative approach, acknowledging the interconnected layers of your being—physical, mental, emotional, and spiritual. First, we begin by telling your story, examining your relationships and life experiences. We may also explore experiential exercises to support emotional processing and self-discovery, such as, meditation, mindful movement, breath work, expressive arts, parts work, somatic techniques, embracing the power of the body and senses in the healing process to support deeper self-exploration and transformation.
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Eye Movement Desensitization + Reprocessing (EMDR) is an extensively researched form of therapy, which is effective in treating symptoms of PTSD and trauma. It operates from the premise that negative beliefs, feelings, and behaviours are the result of unprocessed memories.
In session, clients are asked to focus on a specific traumatic memory with attention given to the negative image, belief, and body sensations related to this memory. Clients are then asked to focus on a positive belief that would indicate the issues was resolved. While focusing on the distressing memory, the therapist will begin sets of side-to-side eye movements or tapping and the client will be guided to notice what comes to mind after each set. Experiences include shifts in insight or changes in images, feelings, or beliefs regarding the past event, including a reduction of distress associated with the memory.
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Breathwave is a gentle, trauma-sensitive + ceremonial style of conscious connected breathwork that can produce altered states of consciousness, allowing deeper access to our physical, emotional, and energetic bodies. This practice can support: integrating and processing emotional experiences, regulating the nervous system, expanding one’s neural potentiality for wholeness, deepening connection to ourselves and the web of life.
Our breathing is a direct reflection of our relationship with life. Breathing is generally limited and unconscious; in fact, the average person only accesses 20 - 30% of their breathing capacity. Conscious awareness of our breathing can support increasing our openness + aliveness in life, supporting personal growth, more balanced relationships, and optimal health.
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I am passionate about creating a safe space for individuals to openly explore their intentions, expectations, and concerns surrounding psychedelic medicines. It is my hope that this will support others to navigate these experiences with greater intention, care, and respect in order to mitigate risks and maximize potential benefits.
Integration is essential to support the weaving of insights gained from peak non-ordinary states of consciousness into one's life in a meaningful and embodied way. This is how we can take these experiences to change our life in the present moment. This process may include exploration of themes, emotions or challenges arisen during the experience.
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Embodied, experiential dreamwork is a unique therapeutic practice of working with dreams. It explores the connection between dreams and bodily sensations to uncover deeper emotional and psychological truths. It employs techniques from Focusing-Oriented Therapy to help individuals embody and experience the feelings and messages of their dreams, rather than just interpreting them in an intellectual way. This approach facilitates a deeper integration of dream content with personal healing and insight, enhancing emotional processing and self-awareness.
Feeling curious?
“In the midst of winter, I found there was, within me, an invincible summer.”
— Albert Camus