Sara’s story is about learning how to give herself the same care, grace, and support that she has always given to others. Originally from the Sacramento area but with roots in Dallas, TX, she came to the Bay Area to attend University of California, Berkeley, where she began studying public health and building a new life in Alameda County. Although she spent years visiting the Bay Area growing up, living in Berkeley and later Oakland gave her a deeper sense of connection to the community. Through her work, school experiences, and involvement with HHREC, she found a place where she truly felt supported, welcomed, and grounded. Sara shared that the East Bay became home during some of the most important years of her life as she was learning who she wanted to become personally and professionally.

Mental health has always been a part of Sara’s life, both personally and within her family. She was fortunate to grow up in a household where therapy was openly discussed, which helped remove shame around seeking support. At the same time, she often took on the role of being the stable person for everyone else. Sara described herself as a “self cleaning oven,” meaning she believed she could quietly carry her emotions and work through things on her own without asking for help. While navigating an emotionally dysfunctional household, Sara learned to push her own feelings aside, stay busy, and focus on taking care of others. The divorce of her parents during her teenage years, combined with family stress and anxiety, impacted her deeply even when she tried not to show it.

When Sara moved away for college, the pressure of academics, finances, relationships, and adulthood started to catch up with her. For the first time, she began feeling increasingly overwhelmed by anxiety, burnout, and depression. She realized that constantly trying to stay strong was no longer working and her floodgates were cracking. Eventually, she made the decision to seek therapy, something she had considered for years. Through consistent practices like therapy, journaling, exercise, and learning healthier ways to process emotions, Sara slowly began unpacking the emotional weight she had carried for so long. She shared that journaling became one of the most grounding tools in her healing journey because it gave her space to reflect honestly on what she was feeling instead of bottling it up.

Today, Sara sees healing as an ongoing process. She has learned the importance of balance, boundaries, and leaning on trusted loved ones instead of trying to handle everything alone. Through her experiences in community work, public health, and nursing, she hopes to continue supporting others in ways that are compassionate, respectful, and centered around whole person care. Her story is a reminder that healing takes time, asking for help is a strength, and growth often begins when we finally allow ourselves the space to be cared for too.