Sarah Ryburn Mealer, LPC

  • Populations Served: teens (16+), adults, couples, families

  • Specialties: anxiety, couples communication, pre-marital counseling, EMDR, depression, grief, trauma, PTSD, self harm, intimacy issues, divorce care, family of origin, family systems, marital conflict/satisfaction, parenting skills, suicide (of a loved one or family member)

  • Education:

    • Master of Arts in Counseling (Reformed Theological Seminary)

  • Location: Austin, TX (in person or telehealth)

  • Insurance: not accepted

  • Self-pay cost: $150 per session

Getting to know Sarah Ryburn

Sarah Ryburn Mealer worked in education for more than a decade, teaching high school English and Creative Writing after having also worked as a social and emotional counselor for middle- and upper-school students. It was her teaching experience that inspired her to pursue counseling as a vocation. Many students over the years confided in her, particularly due to her role as co-sponsor of an outdoor adventure club, about complex and varied range of problems. This allowed her to recognize that even high–functioning and “successful” students often struggle to manage their personal lives and challenges alone. She was led to serve students in this different capacity resulting in a rich and rewarding second career; nurturing and guiding people of all ages to develop the skills and awareness to manage their lives and relationships with confidence and resilience.

Sarah Ryburn works with individuals (teens and adults), couples, and families around a range of issues including anxiety, depression, divorce care, family of origin issues, family systems issues, grief and loss, interpersonal relating and communication, marital conflict and satisfaction, parenting skills, and suicide of a loved one.

Sarah Ryburn works in the Austin and San Antonioareas offering both in office and remote sessions and is also available to work with clients outside of those locations via teletherapy.

Style and Approach

Sarah Ryburn’s therapeutic style draws heavily on a classic Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) approach coupled with newer modalities, e.g., Emotion-Focused Therapy (EFT), narrative therapies, trauma–based approaches and advances in neurobiology, focusing on each client’s needs. She believes strongly in the maxim that, as humans, we are wounded in relationship and can heal in relationship; a primary focus of therapy is to establish and maintain a foundation of caring and consistent trust within which clients can explore and confront the issues that bring them into the therapeutic relationship.

Adventures in Texas

Sarah relocated to Texas from Mississippi ten years after graduation. She lives in San Marcos, just south of Austin, with her husband Rick and their German Shepherd Dog, Serena. They enjoy hiking the local trail systems, floating the beautiful San Marcos River, listening to live music, exploring local craft breweries and distilleries, and worship and fellowship with their local church, where Sarah is a member of the adult choir.