Meet Sara
Sara Thane Milam, LCSW
(She/Her)
I enjoy working with anxious high achievers because I’ve been there.
I swam competitively for the majority of my childhood and adolescence. I was an average to below average swimmer which meant that I had to go hard all the time in practice just to make the intervals that many of my teammates could make with relative ease. I was also a very anxious kid, so engaging in normal childhood experiences like going to school or spending time with friends felt like a lot of work.
These life experiences taught me how to push myself to achieve a goal despite physical and mental discomfort, and they led me to develop the belief that working until exhaustion was the norm and relaxation and comfort equated to laziness.
This belief system led me to prioritize achievement and productivity over all else.
I earned a lot of “gold stars” by doing so, but I found myself stressed, anxious, and exhausted all the time. I developed physical and mental overuse injuries. I began to feel unfulfilled and realized there had to be more to life than running myself into the ground in order to achieve. Through my personal work I’ve learned to connect with who and what is most important to me and make intentional choices in my daily life to align with these values. I’ve found purpose in challenging myself and in rest, relaxation, and play. I’ve figured out how to enjoy the process of working a challenge, not just the outcome.
I’m honored to guide my fellow Type A people toward discovering their own version of a fulfilling life.
Credentials
- EMDR Certified Therapist (EMDRIA)
- Master of Social Work, University of Michigan
- Certificate in Advanced Clinical Dementia Practice, University of Michigan
- Bachelor of Arts, Political Science, University of Montana
License Information
- Tennessee: #7876
- Montana: BBH-LCSW-LIC-49513
Experience
- Team Lead and Therapist, Nashville Collaborative Counseling Center
- Behavioral Health Specialist, SCL Health
- Graduate Intern, Bereavement Department, Angela Hospice
- Graduate Intern, Geriatric Research, Education, and Clinical Center, VA Ann Arbor Healthcare System
- Congressional Caseworker and Field Representative, U.S. Senator Jon Tester
Why Steadfast Living Therapy?
The name Steadfast Living Therapy was inspired by my clients who show an unwavering commitment to themselves and others. Through ups and downs, successes and setbacks, they continue to show up and put in the work – that’s what makes change possible.
Steadfast Living Therapy strives to be accessible, affirming, and welcoming to people of all abilities, races, genders, sexual orientations, sizes, cultures, and political and spiritual beliefs.
