Your pain is real. That doesn’t mean it has to last forever.
You've tried everything. And you know in your bones there's more to this than what you've been offered so far.
You know your body isn't broken. You know this isn't just in your head. You know there's a way through. You just haven't found it yet.
That's not a mystery to me. It's actually the most common thing I hear. And it's exactly what I work with.
“Working with Sara was utterly life-changing. Through her compassionate support and skillful guidance, I completely reshaped my relationship to my pain and developed ways to experience more joy and pleasure. It had a profound impact on the way I move through the world, through the lens of chronic pain and beyond. I cannot recommend her enough!”
-KN
How I got here
I had my own chronic pain for years. I did everything right and stayed stuck. That experience sits at the center of what I do now.
I am a medical sociologist with a PhD from UCSF, and I spent twelve years as a clinical bodyworker. That combination is unusual. It means I understand pain from the research side, from the body side, and from the inside. My research focused on neuroscience and pain, specifically why standard treatments fail and what actually works.
The research, the clinical work, the lived experience of finding my own way out of pain. That trio doesn't exist elsewhere. Your pain has probably bumped up against a system that kept failing you. I know what that looks like, and I know what comes after it.
What I offer isn't a program. It's close, one-on-one work where we figure out together what your nervous system has learned to do, and what it's capable of learning instead.
There's no single path out. Finding yours is what we do together.
“No one ever pointed me to the simple concepts and ways to think about my pain and how I was relating to it in a way that Sara did.
Once I began to seriously engage with my pain in ways Sara suggested, the struggle my pain brought to my life went away and now when pain rears up it dissolves relatively quickly. I am so grateful for the tips, tricks and paths she showed me. She brings what no physician ever did for me. I no longer find myself lying on the floor, trying not to cry.”
-LA
Welcome.
Let’s help you find your way out of pain.
Pain Flare-Up Reset
3-Minute
When we’re in pain, our nervous system can shift into a hyperaroused, protective state—one that directs our attention toward threat and makes everything feel more intense. We can interrupt that loop by intentionally cultivating cues of safety, both inside the body and in our environment.
This 3-minute practice draws on elements of Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction and Cognitive Behavioral Therapy for Pain, each of which has a strong evidence base for reducing pain and improving regulation. It also uses principles consistent with polyvagal-informed approaches—namely, heart-focused breathing and imagery that support a shift out of vigilance and into a calmer, more grounded state.
“Our work together allowed me to feel more connected to both myself and my chronic pain. I rarely resent the pain I experience now and feel equipped with the tools to manage it in a much healthier and more compassionate way.
One of the things I appreciated most about our work was the exercises she provided. We practiced them together during our sessions, which made it easier to integrate them into my daily life. Sara’s thoughtful guidance and supportive presence made a meaningful difference in how I relate to my pain and to myself.”
-KM
Services
Individual Session
$260
For people who want to start with a single focused session or need help with a specific decision about their pain.
One Month Package
$885
Most people work with me for about a month at a time—four weekly sessions plus on-call support between meetings.
Flexible Pricing
I understand that finances are a consideration, especially for those living with pain. I offer a needs-based sliding scale as well as a payment plan for multi-session packages.
“Sara has opened a door to pain management techniques I didn't know existed. She met me where I was at and helped me develop a practice to alleviate the pain and get back to normal life. She is incredibly intuitive and supportive and if you are experiencing chronic pain I would highly recommend talking to her.”
-Graduated Client
What is Pain Fermata?
In music, a fermata signals a pause—an intentional moment of stillness held at the performer’s discretion.
Pain Fermata offers that same kind of pause for people living with persistent pain: a space where you choose to stop, reflect, and relate to pain on your own terms.
“Sara has been an invaluable resource on my journey navigating the ups and downs of a prolonged injury and related pain. I have found my medical care to be very siloed, and often feel that the goal of each of my many doctors is to identify what is wrong and then fix it.
Sara’s interdisciplinary approach is completely different: patient-centered, focused on wellness and holistic health, and always delivered with sensitivity and compassion. Thanks to her guidance and support, I have been able to not only digest a vast array of specialist opinions and recommendations, but make choices about my medical care that feel right for my personal goals and values.”
-Graduated Client
Schedule a Call
Book a free intro call so that I can learn more about you and get a sense for what’s been working as far as pain management—and what hasn’t.
Together we can determine if this process is the right fit for you, or if there’s another path that makes more sense.
