I had the pleasure of connecting with Sarah Herstich and her team at Reclaim Therapy, a dedicated practice with offices in Horsham and online in Pennsylvania offering trauma and eating disorder therapy. When Sarah reached out to me for professional photographs of her team, the goal was to capture their approachable and warm personalities through casual group shots and headshots.
It was an inspiring experience to work with a group so committed to supporting individuals in reclaiming a healthier relationship with their emotions, past experiences, food and bodies. Feeling further motivated by their compassionate and client-centered approach, as well as their commitment to healing and advocacy, I asked Sarah a few questions to learn more:
Can you tell me about the inspiration behind starting Reclaim Therapy and how you came to focus on trauma therapy and eating disorders?
I first started my practice because of my own lived experience with disordered eating and body-shame. From my own recovery, I knew that working with disordered eating patterns was only the beginning of my healing process, and the depth of trauma work is what really shifted things on a cellular level.
Many of your clients are dealing with complex PTSD or trauma. What would you say is the first step in beginning to heal from trauma in therapy?
The first step in beginning to heal from trauma is acknowledging that you have experienced trauma. All too often folks rush past their own lived experience because it “wasn’t bad enough.” The acknowledgment of your own suffering and the desire to want to feel different is huge.
Your approach focuses heavily on building trust and listening to clients. Can you share an example of how you’ve seen this approach positively impact someone’s recovery journey?
Absolutely. I once worked with a client who had spent years feeling unheard and dismissed, which made trusting the therapeutic process difficult. By prioritizing deep listening and creating a space where they felt truly seen, they gradually opened up, allowing us to work through their trauma in a way that felt safe and empowering. Over time, they went from feeling numb and disconnected to recognizing their needs, setting boundaries, and building relationships based on trust.
What are some common misconceptions about trauma and eating disorders that you encounter in your practice?
That eating disorders have a certain look, or that you have to be “sick enough” to deserve treatment. That trauma only refers to big, overwhelming events, or that they should be able to just “get over it” already without understanding the body’s role in holding trauma, and healing from it.
How do you support clients who may feel overwhelmed by the process of confronting trauma or past experiences?
We prioritize spending a considerable amount of time in a phase of treatment that expands people’s ability to cope with distress. We call this the resourcing phase of treatment- where we support our clients to expand their window of tolerance to prepare them for reprocessing traumatic experiences. Without this phase, people often feel unprepared to renegotiate trauma, and can actually be retraumatized.
What are some of the most rewarding aspects of your therapy practice?
The relationships that we build with our clients. Because of the nature of our work, we often see clients for years upon years. We become a part of their life, and they also become a part of ours- we celebrate their wins alongside them and also stand with them to hold their pain. Seeing and feeling people settle into and trusting in a relationship after being harmed by humans is a powerful experience.
What message would you give to someone who’s hesitant to start therapy for trauma or eating disorders but is considering it? And how can people connect with you?
Sometimes the hardest part is picking up the phone to call, or sending the first email reaching out for help. But, the healing and growth that can result from engaging in therapy is so worth it. You can connect with us on our website (www.sarahherstichlcsw.com) on instagram @sarahherstichlcsw or you can get to know us by listening to our podcast, Reclaim You with Reclaim Therapy.
Thank you so much, Sarah, for answering my questions and sharing more about the important work you do. I loved photographing this group of therapists. Reach out to me if your practice or small business could use some headshots or casual group photos!
