Sarah McNamara, LCSW

07/01/2022

Some fun Friday news..

Over the past several years, my little women centered therapy practice has become not-so-little. Turns out, there are lots of people needing hope and healing, just like us.

If you’ve visited my practice or even hung out with me for too long, we’ve likely talked a lot about the great need for expanded support for women and families in our community..And as my own practice grew it left me searching for innovative ways to expand access to care here in Knoxville.

Several months ago, I was fortunate enough to be introduced to Emily Pardy, Founder and Counselor of Ready Nest. Ready Nest Counseling is an established agency founded in Nashville, TN and has a tremendous reputation for helping individuals and families throughout pregnancy, postpartum, infertility, loss, and early parenting. They have created a beautiful network of support in the Nashville community and I’m excited to now grow Ready Nest Knoxville, our city’s first center for peripartum mental health, alongside their leadership.

For my clients, no worries - nothing will change for you! Only our ability to serve more women and families in our community will expand ♥️

865-412-0018
sarah@readynestcounseling.com
https://www.readynestcounseling.com/

Please join us in welcoming Sarah McNamara, our new Clinical Director of Ready Nest Knoxville!
Sarah is a Licensed Clinical Social Worker and Certified in Perinatal Mental Health.
Sarah holds a Master of Science in Social Work from the University of Tennessee and a Bachelor of Science in Human Development from Virginia Tech. She is a Certified Acceptance and Integration Training® (AAIT™) Practitioner, having completed a clinical fellowship under the direction of AAIT™ Founder, Melanie McGhee, LCSW. Sarah uses AAIT™ to help her clients experience healing and wholeness after trauma, grief and loss, postpartum and more.
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03/05/2022

People may think that postpartum anxiety (or PPA) is just worrying a lot. Or they may not even realize that PPA is a disorder!

Here's what postpartum anxiety actually is ⬇️
🟣 Constant worry
🟣 Feeling that something bad is going to happen
🟣 Racing thoughts
🟣 Appetite and sleep disturbances
🟣 Inability to sit still
🟣 Physical symptoms such as nausea, hot flashes, and dizziness

If you are experiencing postpartum anxiety, you are not alone, and you are not to blame. You can feel better. Call or text HELP to 800-944-4773 at any time to reach a PSI HelpLine volunteer 💜

Inspired by Maternal Mental Health Utah

02/07/2022

I need you to know there is HOPE. ☀️

Today’s message is simple, but two-fold.

1️⃣ Mental health issues during pregnancy and postpartum are REAL. It’s not made up in your head. It’s not just your new life you have to *endure* or suffer through.

2️⃣ There is hope. You *will* feel better again. Get help. Talk to someone. Get help before you think you need it! The same way we take care of our physical bodies to prevent illness, we can take care of our mind to prevent mental illness.

❤️‍🩹 How to find recovery and joy again:

• Click on the link in our bio and download “SUNSHINE” — there are great tips there! Things like managing sleep, moving, doing things you love.

• Join a support group, even before you think you need it! It’s much easier to join when you’re not rock bottom. Most are free, and many are virtual.

• Talk to a therapist. They can be expensive, but many take payment on a sliding scale, and we have at least one in every county that takes Medicaid/people without insurance!

• Take a screener regularly. The link in our bio has a link to the EPDS. If you score 10 or higher, it’s time to talk to a professional.

• Tell your healthcare provider — NP, doctor, OB, midwife, doula, IBCLC. Tell ANYONE that will listen, and don’t give up until you get help. It might get frustrating and even exhausting having to advocate for yourself. But it 👏 is 👏 worth 👏 it.

• Find out if medication can help you. If you are open to it, it could change your entire life. There is no shame in taking mental health medication.

🌈 THERE IS HOPE. Spread the word. Take this as your sign to talk to someone, or check in on a pregnant or postpartum parent (moms, dads, someone who has had a miscarriage, LGBTQI+ parents, ALL parents deserve help).

Repost: Mental Health Utah

01/22/2022

Yes 🖤

04/16/2021

I think sometimes we make the mistake of thinking it's hard for our friends to "be there". We apologize for our messes, our tears, our rants, our dirty floors, our needs, and our humanity. We invite them in with a mile long disclaimer that basically says "so sorry you have to be here". The truth is though that it's an absolute honor to be invited into someone's real. The truth is that getting to "be there" is a gift.

I'll never forget the times I've gotten to stand along side my friends as they said their wedding vows.

I'll never forget the honor of sitting with my friends as they cried deep and ugly and real tears.

I'll never forget the times I pushed open heavy hospital doors to rush in and celebrate the birth of a friend's baby. (Hi little one, I'm Auntie Jess).

I'll never forget late girls nights of venting and laughing till everything just felt better.

I'll never forget the times my friends have asked for my help with something. (Even though sometimes asking for help feels vulnerable and hard).

I'll never forget holding space during tragedy and loss. (Being there in those moments is nothing short of sacred).

I'll never forget my friend's warm kitchens with sinks full of dishes and toys covering the floor. (It's my favorite).

I think one of the greatest gifts of friendship is getting to be there. Being invited into another persons hard, their real, their mess, their magic, their pain, their joy, their everything...it's priceless.

Being there is a gift.

Love,
Jess

Follow Sister, I am with you. for more.

03/11/2021

Amen ♥️

08/30/2020

🤍🤍🤍

05/09/2020

05/03/2020

Today is International Bereaved Mother’s Day.

For my mamas who ache,
Holding space for you today ♥️

03/27/2020

These are hard days, loves. If you’re anything like me, you may have found yourself at times feeling anxious, uncertain and not quite like yourself.

More than ever, I’m thankful for Acceptance and Integration Training and a tangible way to wrestle with hard and experience peace, even in the midst of uncertainty.

In order to best serve my clients and community in the days ahead, I am opening up some additional availability for tele-therapy sessions and have a few openings for new clients at this time.

Be well, dear ones ♥️

Cheering on women on their journey to AUTHENTIC, EMPOWERED & CONNECTED living. Make An Appointment My Story Hi, I’m Sarah. Owner & Licensed Clinical Social Worker I’m passionate about helping women to live authentic, empowered and connected lives. If you’re here intentionally or have just stum...

03/25/2020

These are hard days, friends. Be kind to yourselves 🖤

The coronavirus pandemic has led to a collective loss of normalcy.

12/18/2019

Why does this holiday season feel so weird? Anyone else feeling it?

Maybe it's the fact that I'm pretty sure I just ate turkey and stuffing yesterday and all of the sudden Christmas is less than two weeks away.

Maybe it's because I saw the first Christmas tree in stores on... oh I don't know ... September 12th before I even knew what my kid was going to be for Halloween.

Maybe it's because I'm struggling buying gifts for people because I feel overwhelmed with the "things" in my house I'm not amped about giving people "things."

Maybe it's because all I want to do is sit around and watch Christmas movies but there's always somewhere to be and an email to write.

Or maybe its because I'm so busy buying the things the stores are telling me I need to be busy buying that I'm not looking at the gifts right in front of me.

I need to breathe out stress, and let contentment in.

Can we all do it together? (I'll wait)

But really, friends... can we JUST sit on the couch without Amazon pulled up on our screen and instead pull one of the kids up onto the couch beside us and watch a Christmas movie?

Can we push all of the to-do lists and school flyers and unopened bills to the corner of the island and invite the neighbors over for pizza and some board games and not apologize 15 times for the crumbs on the floor by their feet?

Can we just put the kids in the car in their pajamas, turn on the holiday station and drive around and enjoy the lights?

Can we just ... oh I don't know... stop?

And breathe. And enjoy. And be with each other. And reflect. And love.

And let go of the expectations of the season... and hold on to the people we love.

Because that's where the joy lies. That's where contentment is.

THAT is where the holiday lives.