Her Story
About Sara
Sara Rettig, LSW, LCADC, is a therapist and founder of Connect & Reflect Therapy LLC, dedicated to helping individuals make sense of their stories and recognize their inherent worth. With a background in social work and approximately four years of counseling experience, she specializes in trauma-informed care, addiction counseling, and emotional healing. Sara currently holds credentials as a Licensed Social Worker and Licensed Clinical Alcohol and Drug Counselor and is completing advanced training in Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing (EMDR). Her professional mission is rooted in creating compassionate, person-centered spaces where individuals can heal, grow, and rediscover their resilience.
Sara’s journey into mental health was shaped by deeply personal experiences. Inspired initially by a desire to pursue medicine, she ultimately discovered that her calling was not to heal physical ailments but to support people emotionally. After experiencing profound personal losses and navigating significant adversity, she pursued social work and found her true purpose in counseling. Her experiences taught her how to transform pain into purpose, allowing her to become the kind of compassionate and supportive presence she wished she had during difficult times. She previously served as a counselor at Eva’s Village before launching her own practice to further expand her impact.
Guided by values of compassion, empathy, resilience, gratitude, and self-care, Sara believes that healing begins when people feel safe enough to understand and embrace their stories. She emphasizes the importance of healthy boundaries, emotional wellness, and maintaining balance through practices such as meditation, yoga, exercise, and gratitude. Through Connect & Reflect Therapy, Sara strives to empower others to recognize that they are enough, that setbacks can become opportunities for growth, and that every story has the potential to become one of hope, healing, and transformation.
Her Interview
Ten minutes with Sara
01What do you attribute your success to?
I attribute my success to every person and experience that challenged me to grow. My family, friends, former spouse, and children all played important roles in shaping who I am today. Although I endured significant adversity and complex trauma, I chose to transform those painful experiences into opportunities for healing, growth, and service.
Rather than allowing hardship to define me, I learned how to turn difficult circumstances into something meaningful. I believe my ability to find purpose within adversity has enabled me to create a positive impact not only in my own life, but also in the lives of others.
02What advice would you give to young women entering your industry?
My message to young women entering this field is simple: you are enough. Success does not require perfection, and setbacks should be viewed as opportunities for growth rather than failures.
I believe it is essential to establish healthy boundaries and remember that while we support others, we cannot carry their burdens home with us. Prioritizing self-care, sleep, gratitude, and maintaining a positive mindset are vital to sustaining both personal well-being and professional effectiveness.
I encourage others to cultivate compassion for themselves, recognize their strengths, and understand that growth comes from embracing life's challenges with resilience and grace.
03What are the biggest challenges or opportunities in your field right now?
One of the greatest opportunities in mental health is helping people understand that they are enough and empowering them to make sense of their stories. Trauma-informed care, emotional healing, and compassionate support can create profound and lasting change. I believe there is a growing opportunity to provide safe, healing spaces where individuals can process their experiences, develop resilience, and learn that difficult moments do not define their worth or their future.
04What values are most important to you in your work and personal life?
Compassion, empathy, resilience, gratitude, and self-care are among the values that guide both my professional and personal life. I believe deeply in creating healing spaces where people can safely make sense of their stories and recognize their inherent worth.
Maintaining healthy boundaries is also extremely important to me. When clients are in my office, we work together on their challenges, but I understand that their experiences are not mine to carry home. I prioritize meditation, yoga, exercise, proper nutrition, sleep, hydration, gratitude, and a positive mindset because I believe caring for myself allows me to better care for others.
Above all, I view life as a privilege and approach each day with appreciation, recognizing that even difficult days provide opportunities for growth and learning.
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