About

Sierra Schaidle LMFTA female therapist in Indiana. Virtual therapy in Indianapolis. LGBTQ therapist. EMDR therapist in Indianapolis.

Sierra Schaidle, LMFT

she/her

My Background

My research and training was heavily focused on issues of diversity, building relationship satisfaction, and the in-between spaces of identities that are often overlooked. I’m curious about the liminal spaces in our lives and what makes you you. I firmly believe that “The person isn’t the problem. The problem is the problem.” For me, this means that we’re going to look at the context and systems you live in to try to find solutions to your concerns. When it comes to doing therapy, my goal is to take away shame, blame, and guilt, and build towards a sense of trust and awareness, whether it’s with yourself or a loved one. I work with therapy clients from all over Indiana through anxiety, life transitions, relationship issues, healing from trauma, and so many other common issues. Life isn’t easy! You don’t have to do it alone.

Credentials

Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist (LMFT) in Indiana
MS Marriage and Family Therapy from Purdue University Northwest
EMDR-Trained
Level 2 Gottman Method Couples Therapist

My Therapy Approach

  • Focuses on the story you tell yourself about your life and how the words we use affect us

  • (Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing) Developed to help with trauma, this highly-researched approach to therapy is fantastic for working through difficult memories, anxiety, or other big experiences you aren’t sure how to handle.

    You can learn more about EMDR from EMDRIA here.

  • Focuses on cultural contexts and the power imbalances that affect our daily experiences and relationships

  • A foundational approach to couples therapy with decades of research behind it. This approach incorporates structured assessments into improving partners’ communication

  • I am welcoming to and experienced working with anyone within the LGBTQ+ community, including gender-diverse clients and poly relationships.

  • Usually a more brief approach to therapy that is very focused on changing behavior into something that works for you

  • I take great care to be sensitive to all of someone’s life experiences and use a combination of strong empathy and ongoing education of how to treat trauma.

  • Depending on the interest of my clients, I like to use artistic methods in therapy. This can be incorporated as much or as little as you’d like.

I can help with…

  • Improving your sense of self-awareness and feeling like you know yourself better

  • Building confident, secure, and fulfilling relationships

  • Managing conflict within your relationships

  • Unlearning patterns from your childhood

  • Healing from traumas, whether they’re systemic, single-incident, or ongoing

  • Managing life transitions such as graduation, marriage, separations, childbirth, death of a family member, moving, job changes, or chronic illness

  • Challenging feelings of anxiety, shame, or guilt

  • Reclaiming your identity or exploring who you are

  • Exploring your gender identity

  • Coming out

What is Unfolding Insight?

One of my top values and something vital in therapy is understanding, both of ourselves and of others. My favorite poem by Rainer Maria Rilke uses the word “unfold” as a way of referencing this kind of openness and exploration. It’s like peeling back our layers to get to our core. Insight is another powerful tool in therapy that is related to having a deep understanding of something. Together, the words “unfolding insight” bring to my mind the powerful journey of self-discovery and empowerment that I want to embody in my therapy work.

 FAQs

  • Hit that “Schedule Now” button at the top of the page to find a time where we can meet. If you have questions before jumping in, we can schedule a short 15-minute consultation call to see if I would be a good therapist for you, or you can shoot me a quick email. If you’re ready to get started, we can schedule our initial session. From there on, we’ll talk about what you want to work on, how many sessions you think you want, and how frequently you want to meet.

  • This depends on a lot of factors including what goals you want to work towards. Sessions are normally 50-minutes long. It is common to notice change within 3-10 sessions, although continuing therapy longer is very common as well. Longer-term therapy might be a better option for you if you’ve experienced severe trauma, have several goals you want to address, or are dealing with big transitions.

  • All you need is a little privacy, a decent internet connection, and a device to have your session (a phone, computer, or laptop). Everything else is up to your preferences!

    I recommend keeping a pair of headphones nearby for extra privacy and audio quality and a notebook or paper to write down anything important.

  • I use a record system made for therapy called Simple Practice. Once you get started, you will have an easy-to-use account where we can have our sessions, exchange paperwork, schedule sessions, and anything else we might need.

  • I have a limited number of spots available for sliding scale fees, which is based on your household income. Otherwise, I just have a flat rate for my services, which are listed here. Please contact me if you have questions.

  • At this time, I am only providing services virtually and do not currently plan to open an in-person office space. If necessary, I can help connect you with other therapists who do offer in-person services.

  • My number one job is to protect your confidentiality. As such, I will never initiate contact with you outside of our work as therapist and client. If I happen to come across you on social media, I will block you to protect your privacy. I will not look you up online. If we happen to run into each other in public, I will not acknowledge you. You can feel free to initiate contact when appropriate such as by smiling, waving, or saying “Hey!” but I will wait to follow your lead. This is to help protect your privacy and respect your own time and space.