Hidden Gems: Meet Sara Amos of Sara Amos Counseling

Today we’d like to introduce you to Sara Amos.

Alright, so thank you so much for sharing your story and insight with our readers. To kick things off, can you tell us a bit about how you got started?
I have been working in the field of Social Work since 2005 and I almost can’t believe where that road has taken me! I spent five years in West Tennessee with a home visitation program supporting and educating young moms through the first three years of parenthood. Through this experience, I learned so much about community and the value of true empathetic support. My path then led me to Brazil where I partnered with a community center to help establish a volunteer network and a few other organizational structures.

The two years I spent, again invited into the lives and homes of so many families was a life-changing experience. I learned that a vibrant and healthy community requires so much more trust and cooperation than I had ever realized. One of the biggest impacts of those two experiences was the certainty that I was no longer satisfied with hearing people’s stories; I wanted the knowledge and skills to help them understand and heal from their pain. Upon returning to the States I pursued a Master’s degree in Social Work and a clinical license enabling me to offer therapy. I then spent around 8 years in School Settings working with students, families, and teachers to navigate everything from administrative policy to community violence and trauma.

This experience was foundational in where I am now, seeking to support the helpers of Nashville. I opened my counseling practice in 2019 with the specific purpose to equip, support and empower Nashville’s teachers, nurses, social workers, and anyone else showing up every day to improve our community. I believe so strongly that healthy helpers will make the biggest impact on healing the wounds in our society.

Would you say it’s been a smooth road, and if not what are some of the biggest challenges you’ve faced along the way?
Wow, this journey has been long, winding and so very humbling. I have learned so much about the gaps in our systems of support. I’ve witnessed so much heartbreak among those who are shoved to the margins of our communities. And I have learned hard lessons about my views, biases, and pride when it comes to jumping in and helping in the way that often made the most sense to me at the time.

I have learned the importance of asking questions before taking action and the value of understanding that impact matters more than intention. I have learned that a lifetime of service to others requires strong boundaries, self-awareness, and support from others. These lessons are essentially what pushed me into this passion for equipping and caring for individuals intent on a long career in a helping profession.

Thanks – so what else should our readers know about Sara Amos Counseling?
Sara Amos Counseling offers individual therapy to anyone struggling with anxiety, depression, or overcoming symptoms of trauma with a special interest in supporting and equipping Nashville’s helping professionals. In addition to individual sessions, I offer educational courses and leadership consultation to schools, non-profit organizations, and churches.

Anyone who finds that the joy of helping, serving, or supporting others complicates their own mental health and well-being can benefit from my experience and expertise. My courses offer research-based data on topics such as compassion fatigue and ethical boundary setting as well as tried and true methods to heal from vicarious trauma and maintain a healthy relationship within your scope of work.

Do you have any advice for those just starting?
Find a mentor! The times when burnout and vicarious trauma threatened to end my career in Social Work, I am so thankful for the wisdom and guidance of those who had gone before me.

The methods I teach teachers and nurses about setting boundaries and caring for themselves did not come to me in a dream. I was taught by wiser, more experienced helpers who helped me learn to harness my passion in a way that could sustain the type of long-term relationship I wanted to have with improving our society.

Contact Info:

• Website: saraamoscounseling.com
• Instagram: @sara.amos.counseling
• Linkedin:Linkedin.com/in/saraamoscounseling