Testimonials

It is nearly impossible to put into words, the profound effect Sarah has had on my soul.  I was at the darkest place of my life when she came into it.  Some would say, if you find yourself in a treatment center to get help, you must have at least a sliver of hope left inside.  I would argue that, at that time, I did not.  This “last ditch” effort of going into treatment was merely a formality I went through to appease my family.  I would then be free to end my suffering and everyone would know that I had “tried.”  But when I got there, I met Sarah.  For the first time in my life, I met a human being who I felt I could be transparent with and intuitively, I knew I would be safe.  During my time at the facility, I watched her treat people with kindness.  I saw her compassion.  I saw her honesty.  I saw her grace and in it all, what I saw was light.  I came to believe, if this person believed in me, maybe I could believe in me.  And my recovery began, because it was then that I found hope.

I was never just another client, just another alcoholic, just another eating disorder, just another number… to Sarah.  I was a person.  I mattered.  Today I look back on that critical period in my life, and I am filled with gratitude.  When I met Sarah, I found me.  Sarah not only has a gift, she will share it with you.  Magical.  There is no one like her.

Sarah is the kind of counselor everybody in the field should hope to be. I had two different stays in a residential treatment program where Sarah was a counselor. I was in treatment for Substance Abuse.
She has a way of being both kind and tough. I didn’t need someone to co-sign my BS but I also wasn’t ready to hear too much about how messed up I was at the time. I don’t know how, but Sarah somehow managed to navigate the fine line between helping me honestly see the truth about myself without making me feel any of the self-loathing I had been struggling with. I can’t speak for others but in my case what I needed was a little hope and some sense of purpose. Somehow (either through experience, training or intuition) she knew that, and was able to help me start on a path toward finding both.
I can’t imagine anyone more able and qualified to help somebody like myself who may be caught up in the grips of addiction and/or engaging in any harmful or self-destructive behaviors.

Sincerely,

Robert N

The summer of 2014 marked the end of what was probably the most horrendous period of my life. At 46 years old I found myself in quite the predicament. Drinking, driving while intoxicated, pill popping, cutting, suicidal thoughts and other self-destructive behaviors had consumed every moment and I had become unable to manage my life efficiently. Like many others before me, guilt, shame, fear and pain; that deep dark all-consuming state of mind had taken over who I was. How did I end up here? I knew I needed help; I could not do this on my own but there was no way in hell I could admit that I was dependent on alcohol and pills, after all I was a professional in the mental health industry and should know better! I had tried an outpatient treatment program in July, however was “therapeutically discharged”, a fancy way of saying kicked out, of that program. Just when I needed help the most; the counselors in that program turned me away. What little trust I had was certainly shattered. It took every ounce of energy to enter that program in the first place and I was rejected; I had given up on myself and my life. One last drunken binge landed me in the ER – 15 staples later in my arm, I’d finally hit my rock bottom.

Call it the grace of God, a miracle or simply God stepping in and sending an angel to help me do for me what I could not do for myself. Broken, desperate, humiliated, and angry; crushed by the weight of my deep despair, I dragged myself into a residential treatment center where I met that angel in Sarah Tostado, a counselor in the drug & alcohol residential treatment program. Sarah was just the miracle I needed; right person at the right time. She showed me such compassion & understanding, not a judgmental bone in her body. I was a broken walled up shell of a person – Sarah held me up when I could barely stand on my own two feet. She knew when to push, when to back off and earned my trust. Impeccable intuition, Sarah seemed to have amazing timing, knowing just the right words or compassionate gaze that got me through that moment. I remember telling her that she had all the right stuff to make an incredible therapist who would help so many people – truly gifted in personal skills; something I know as a therapist myself that can’t be taught. I will never forget the words Sarah said to me as I prepared to leave the treatment program, afraid to return to my life outside those safe walls: “You didn’t just stop drinking, you developed a new sense of self and are unsure of how the new you fits into the old world. You left the dark’s cold place and now must get use to the warmth of the sunshine; welcome it, before long it will be comforting”. I followed Sarah’s suggestion and took those words to heart. I was willing to trust her and I can’t tell you what a pivotal moment in my life that was! Today, I am doing so much better. My life has peace and joy back in it; all the pieces are falling back into place. I have hope again and have learned to trust once more. I can’t thank you Sarah enough for it was you that led me through that door; humbly I say to you, thank you. If you are someone struggling with addiction, it is important to find the right fit in a therapist to help you gain your footing. Without hesitation, I would recommend Sarah Tostado, since for me, she was the right person at the right time!!!

– V.A.D

As a family member of a client of Sarah’s, I cannot say enough about how grateful I am for Sarah. She is an amazing counselor. She helps people really get to the core issues underneath their addictive behaviors, allowing for deep healing and change. Sarah helped my much loved family member learn to love and value herself which renewed her commitment to herself and her sobriety. Sarah’s facilitation of family meetings allowed many years of hurt and pain to be addressed so that further healing and support could happen between family members. She taught us to listen and she helped us learn more about what our family member was going through along with the process of recovery.

As a psychologist who practices in a different part of the state I can only say that I wish we were working in the same city. I would love to refer clients to her and consult with her. She is insightful, has great interventions, is non-judgmental, warm and a straight-shooter. She is 150% committed to her clients and her work. I appreciate her depth, clarity and wisdom. I highly recommend Sarah Tostado.

TL

My name is Leina, I am 20 years old, and since I was about 12 years old I felt conscious about my body. I thought I was fat, so me and my best friend would encourage each other to not eat and we would say that food was “the devil”. Later on I eventually started eating a lot, but after I would vomit. It became really bad where any time I ate a meal I felt so sick that I had to throw up even if I didn’t want to. I was about 17 when I got into some trouble and I was sentenced to 6 months to a placement home called Crittenton. I met Sarah Tostado there, and we would have sessions to talk about my emotional health and my eating disorder. I really loved meeting with her, she made me feel proud to be who I am no matter how I felt about myself. But not only that, she really educated me on the damage that I was doing to my body every time I starved myself and when I threw up. I think that scared me the most knowing what I was doing to my throat and my teeth and knowing what was happening to me on the inside. I really enjoyed talking to her a lot because she was not only a counselor, but to me she was a friend that I could open up and talk to. Sarah really taught me how to love myself, and I am so thankful and happy to have had the privilege of her time and care for me. She changed my life! To this day I no longer want to vomit and even though I am not completely happy with the way I look, I still am OK with myself and eating food. I weigh about 115lbs, and I don’t think I’m fat because I’m not. But I just don’t know how things would be if I didn’t get the help at the time that I did from Sarah. She is amazing!

-Leina

I was uncomfortable in my own skin and broken. I finally hit my rock bottom just after Christmas in 2015. Between the excessive drinking and suicidal thoughts that had consumed me for 13 years I finally couldn’t take it anymore. My suicidal thoughts got way “too real” for me to handle. To the point where I almost yanked the steering wheel on the freeway on the way to the mental health hospital to end it all. After going through detox for a few days I really needed to talk to someone professional. It took 6 days to talk to someone. I had been emotionless for so long it just became to norm to me. Even if something traumatic happened and I wanted to cry, I couldn’t. After meeting Sarah in the Residential program, I knew right away she could help me. i could see it in her eyes. She truly is passionate about what she does and I am forever grateful to her. After one good “sit down” with her, I cried and cried. She worked her magic. The other counselors were great but I couldn’t wait until Sarah came in. I felt a great connection with her and I could tell her everything and just spill my guts. As of today, because of her help I am 5 and a half months sober and Im comfortable in my own skin, loving life, no suicidal thoughts and I have a true smile on my face. I almost want to relapse and screw my life up again just to have her treat me again 😉 Im kidding.

B.T.K.

Sharper Healing I believe is the best choice for anyone looking into addressing their addiction. Not only is Sarah focused on the individual themselves, but she integrates the family throughout the treatment process whenever possible. I’ve personally known Sarah Tostado, the founder, for two and a half years now. I can honestly say she is one of my best supporters in my life to date. She is not only one of the most caring individuals I have ever met, she is also a loving friend. I was blessed when Sarah came into my life while working together at a group home for girls. I’ve seen Sarah both as a professional in the work world and as a friend in our personal world. She is the kindest, most caring, loving individual I have ever met. She has a passion for helping people and it’s that passion and the love she has for her job that leads her to doing great things for others in all work she has done thus far in her life. She is a motivated individual and doesn’t give up especially when it comes to leading others towards recovery. She has well enough experience focusing on food, drug and alcohol addiction. She also has worked in a background focusing on prostitution and aggression. Sarah Tostado is the choice in finding the pathway to freedom, using techniques such as counseling, family counseling, group sessions and pet therapy. She has guided me thus far in my own personal journey and I can say without hesitation she has not given up on me and she won’t give up on you. She is a true believer in rehabilitation and healing and a positive person anyone would be lucky to have in their lives in their own pathway to freedom.

-Danielle Duarte