Sarah Burnette,
LCSW, MASJ

I specialize in providing trauma-informed psychodynamic therapy and clinical supervision. This means thinking about the impact of the past, finding meaning in problems, and supporting healing on both a conscious/"rational" level and on the unconscious/emotional/ body level. I practice liberationist psychology and believe in the importance of affirming care for sex workers, queer and trans clients, clients in the kink and CNM communities, and people who may have had challenges with mental health providers before.

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Before founding Xylem, I worked in medical and trauma settings, often sitting with people on what were some of the worsts days of their lives. My time in abortion care, organ transplant, and emergency departments taught me that we need to consider trauma and the body in everything that we do, that people are incredibly resilient, and that so many people have been hurt by those they trusted to care for them. 

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As an associate professor at The Chicago School of Professional Psychology, I think a lot about bioethics, how powerful therapy can be, and the people who have historically been judged by psychology. My time in academia has taught me that theory matters, we need to look deeper before accepting one truth, and effective therapy is not just supportive but also challenging and grounded in a bigger picture. I am passionate about mentoring students and clinicians who want to work from a psychodynamic liberation psychology perspective. 

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