Sarah George-Crljenko
Psychologist
A warm, and engaging new member of the Aresolution team. Sarah is a registered psychologist who is passionate and experienced in her work with children, adolescents, adults, and families.
Sarah is a nationally accredited psychologist skilled in helping individuals and groups with anxiety disorders, major depressive disorder, borderline personality disorder, neurocognitive challenges such as autism spectrum disorder and ADHD as well as emotion regulation difficulties and anger management.
Sarah has spent much time as a college psychologist helping children (8 years and above) and teens with anxiety, depression, school issues, school refusal bullying, exam preparation and more. Sarah is skilled in working with children with autism and attention deficit hyperactivity disorder.
Sarah is an empathic, warm and person-centred clinician who is passionate about supporting clients in working through and overcoming their challenges, identifying their strengths and empowering them to build meaningful lives. Sarah strives to deliver a personalized, solution-focused therapy approach which focuses on building capacity of her clients to achieve their overarching goals.
Sarah has a passion for working with adolescents, teenagers, adults and the older adult population, providing a range of evidence-based interventions including cognitive behavioural therapy (CBT), dialectical behavioural therapy (DBT), acute group therapy, acceptance and commitment therapy, play therapy, mindfulness—based therapies and integrative systems therapy. During the course of therapy, Sarah aims to consider the values, lived experiences, strengths, and goals of her clients.
Therapeutic approach:
Sarah strives to work in collaboration with her clients with a focus on key concepts such as:
- Enhancing functionality
- Positive relationships
- Building a meaningful life worth living
- Highlighting and building on character strengths
- Building resilience and grit
- Uncovering and creating purpose
- Flow
Anxiety:
Is your mind and body constantly racing and unsettled? Do you wake up in panic feeling dread? Is anxiety getting in the way of your functionality, relationships and life? Sarah uses an integrative process of building self-awareness, psychoeducation and effective coping skills needed to challenge unhelpful, maladaptive thoughts and behaviours that perpetuate the vicious cycle of anxiety. Additionally, emphasis will be placed on relaxation and self-regulation strategies to help regulate anxiety within the nervous system so that individuals can feel empowered and confident in managing anxiety within their bodies and increase daily functionality.
Depression:
Depression (major depressive disorder) is one of Sarah’s strong areas of interest. Sarah is passionate about supporting her clients who are experiencing depression. Through ongoing research, we know that there are several factors in an individuals life that can affect their experience of depression. We also know that depression is highly treatable. Therefore, Sarah uses a holistic, biopsychosocial and collaborative approach to support her clients in understanding, managing and achieving their goals in their treatment of depression.
Emotion regulation:
Emotion regulation is an individual’s ability to regulate their emotional response. Our ability to regulate our emotions has an important impact on our overall wellbeing and our social relationships. Sarah places a strong emphasis on focusing on her clients’ current strengths as well as additionally developed skills to build and enhance long-term wellbeing, improve work performance, enrich personal relationships and overall wellbeing.
Neurodiversity:
Neurodiversity is the range of differences in individual brain function and behavioural traits. Sarah uses a neurodiverse-informed approach to help clients embrace the idea that every human being is unique with a unique combination of abilities, goals and needs. Sarah uses a strengths-based and solution-focused perspective to support her clients to build capacity, build meaningful lives and achieve their goals.
Training highlights:
- Honors in Psychology
- Bachelor of Psychological Science
- Cognitive Behavioural Therapy skills training
- Dialectical Behavioural Therapy
- Trauma-informed workshop
- Acceptance and Commitment therapy
- Play therapy
Sarah’s areas of passion and interest are:
| Trauma and Post-traumatic Stress Disorder | Anxiety |
| Adults | Bullying |
| Children and Adolescents | Emotion Dysregulation |
| School Refusal | Play Therapy |
| Autism Spectrum Disorder | Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder and ADD |
| Depression | Stress Management |
| Borderline Personality Disorder | Self Harm and Suicidality |
| Grief and Loss | Anger Management |