Clinician Spotlight: Sandra Schmidt

Therapist Sandra Schmidt’s favorite hobby is walking on the beach and collecting shells with her family. So it makes sense that she and her three children and three dogs moved from Maryland to Florida a few years ago. Now they are only a 10-minute drive to the beach.

Schmidt did not originally start her career in mental health. She started working with children and families two decades ago through the foster care system and the private adoption arena. “Once I found myself working for an inpatient psychiatric hospital, the rewards and challenges sparked my interest in mental health,” she says. “I have spent the last five years of my career working in mental health/individual therapy and now can’t imagine doing anything else.”

For Schmidt, a clinician’s most important characteristics are kindness, compassion, and mutual respect. “These are the values of Happier Living and the same values I feel are important in developing a strong therapeutic relationship,” she says. She appreciates the flexibility with her schedule, the ability to work remotely, and the team collaboration that Happier Living emphasizes. 

Schmidt works diligently to build a deep connection with her clients. She does this through active listening and taking the time to really get to know them and to understand their needs. She believes strongly in looking at the entire person, not just emotional health, but the other aspects included in the P.E.R.Fi.C. philosophy: physical health, relationships, financial health and career/passion. “Examining and exploring every aspect of these allows the development of a strong therapeutic alliance, and focus on each of the aspects that comprise a person,” she says.

“My goal as a therapist is to assist my clients in reaching their full potential,” says Schmidt. “I care a great deal about my clients and want to help them succeed.”

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