BENNETT
Sarah Bennett is one of Kwawachee Counseling Center’s new team members, and is taking on her new position as a counselor with the Tribe with enthusiasm.
The longtime therapist has been counseling children and working in community health therapy settings for the past 15 years.
She began working with the Puyallup Tribal Health Authority in January and has shifted her focus from youth to adults.
“I had worked exclusively with children for 15 years – I wanted to expand and broaden my experience,” she said, noting that about 80 percent of her clients are adults. “With adults I have to look back and use some of these skills I didn’t use as much with children, as well as find new ones. And that also causes me to grow.”
Sarah Bennett said she always knew she wanted to be a therapist, and attended Chapman University for her degree in counseling. She is originally from Texas and has resided in the Tacoma area since 1988.
Sarah Bennett said she enjoys counseling children and adults because for her, it is fulfilling to feel that she is making a difference in a life.
“You feel like you’ve actually connected with someone and have helped them in some form,” she said.
She said she particularly enjoys her new job at Kwawachee because she feels the Health Authority puts the patients’ needs first.
“It’s not about the bottom line. They have good values here – they put the patient first and they care.”
Sarah Bennett has a client list of about 60 patients, and counsels about 28 individuals each week. She said she commends those clients who come into counseling seeking to heal, grow or better themselves.
“I have tons of respect and admiration for the (patients) who come here and do the hard work,” she said. “It’s very rewarding to see people make those hard changes in their lives.”
