We love getting to know our members a little better. There is always something new and interesting to learn about people. This week we are celebrating our member, Dr. Sarah Glaser, who you can find at The Village Hive Markham coworking location. Sarah uses our private office in Markham to see her clients.
Here’s a little more about Sarah:
Tell us about your profession. What type of clients do you serve?
I am a clinical child and adolescent psychologist. As part of my job, I do therapy and conduct psychological and psychoeducational assessments for youth who have trouble with learning/academics, development, and mental health. Some examples of difficulties include learning disabilities, ADHD, anxiety and mood disorders, intellectual disabilities, and autism spectrum disorder.
What inspires the work you do?
I am inspired by each and every child and family with whom I work. We are all faced with increasing stressors in the face of the ongoing pandemic, among other global issues. I am impressed by the strength and resilience of my clients, whose lives have been disrupted by online learning, mental illness, and other challenges. The greatest gift I can give a client is opening a door for them to walk through in order to get back on their feet and to feel better. This is the most rewarding aspect of my job.
How did you get into this profession?
I knew I wanted to be a psychologist at a young age. I took an intro psychology course in high school, and I was hooked! I grew up in the US just four hours away from NYC. I was a teenager during 9/11, and I was forever changed. As part of a high school project in 2002, I was inspired to volunteer at the Wall of Hope Project (in Providence, Rhode Island), which helped young children process the events of 9/11 through artwork. Each child painted a ceramic tile with their vision of hope for the future, and eventually the tiles were erected into an outdoor wall–which remains intact to this day. After that experience, I knew I wanted to continue helping youth who experience various challenges.
Has the pandemic impacted your daily work?
Certainly, the pandemic has affected everyone, including psychologists. I had to quickly pivot to a virtual platform, which continues to facilitate the majority of the work I do. Adapting to providing treatment while looking at a computer screen has been both intimidating and exciting. I have been surprised by how effective it has been, and that many clients prefer it over in-person work.
What’s a valuable lesson you’ve learned recently?
I am getting married in September, and a valuable lesson I’ve learned is the power of organization! My partner and I have opted to plan the wedding ourselves, and we have a host of spreadsheets, colour coded sticky notes, and many other tools to keep us on track. We would be lost without them. The lesson is: never underestimate the power of a well-oiled organizational system to plan effectively.
What is your superpower?
I took a typing course a teenager (I’m dating myself here), and I can type approximately 120 words per minute. This has helped me greatly with report writing, session notes, and other written tasks. I consider it to be a superpower! It saves me a boatload of time.
Do you have a morning routine?
I tend to wake up around 7:30am, after which I take out my two dogs. After I feed them, I have breakfast and then sit down to check email before starting my workday. My dogs help keep me on a fairly regular schedule in general throughout the day.
What do you do when you’re not working?
We love to travel (most recently, we were in the Dominican Republic this spring). I also enjoy making pottery, although many classes have not been in session since the pandemic started. Regular weekend activities include hiking with our dogs, seeing friends and family, and bbq’ing.
What do you do at The Village Hive Coworking in Markham? What is your favourite thing about the Hive?
The Hive is not only a 5 minute walk from where I live, which is very convenient. It is a lovely historic building, and I love the vintage vibe. I also appreciate how friendly everyone is, and the communal aspect. I rent an office space at The Hive with Dr. Laurel Johnson (another psychologist), and I conduct my in-person work there.
How do people get in touch with you if they need your services?
I would be happy to chat with anyone who might be interested in connecting about my services. I offer therapy, as well as assessments to screen for mental health conditions, ADHD, learning disabilities, giftedness, and autism spectrum disorder.
Anything else you’d like to share?
I recently started my own practice, Glaser Psychological Services. I am also the senior clinical and training lead and lead psychologist at Kinark Child and Family Services (York Region).
Contact:
Website: drsarahglaser.com
Email: dr.sarah.glaser@gmail.com
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/dr-sarah-glaser
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/dr_glaser
