SAZI WALD
Pronouns: They/Them
Clinical Social Worker
Owner
Phone: 360-207-4467
Hello! My name is Sazi Wald, I use They/Them pronouns and I am a Counselor in Olympia Washington. I got my Master of Social Work from the University of Washington in Seattle and I am a Licensed Independent Clinical Social Worker Independent #LW61407723 which just means that I am trained and licensed to provide mental health therapy in the State of Washington! Additionally, I have special training to treat substance use challenges and special licensure to practice hypnotherapy along with extensive expertise treating trauma, anxiety, and working with transgender folx and transition age youth/early adulthood (ages 16-25 and 25-40).
Since youth I have devoted my life to helping others. This calling led me to the study of psychological sciences and over a decade of potent experience in diverse positions within direct practice at community mental health and school organizations, clinical research, and facilitating system change at corporate and governmental levels.
As a counselor I use a radical healing, whole-person-in-environment approach with an equity, diversity, and inclusion lens. I am a poly and kink affirming, trans-affirming, LGBTQIA+ affirming, sex work affirming, and a spiritual affirming practitioner! I believe that together we can accomplish sustainable healing.
In session we can utilize individualized evidence-based strategies to help you enhance your well-being, such as: Motivational Interviewing, Trauma-Informed Care, Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing, Acceptance and Commitment Therapy, Cognitive Behavioral Therapy, Behavioral Activation, Mindfulness, Art Therapy, Emotion Focused Therapy, Harm Reduction Psychotherapy, Body Mind Bridge Hypnotherapy treatments, and more!
My style is energetic, insight oriented, and leans directive. So, I will be an active participant in session. I am a passionate nerd so, fair warning you might learn a lot about yourself in the context of science and philosophy. Seeing that humor is incredibly therapeutic and helpful to learning, you may also hear some terrible jokes along the recovery pathway. There is no shortage of laughter, tears, exploration, and creativity in my office!
I look forward to meeting you. Please feel free to reach out anytime!
PUBLICATIONS, PRESENTATIONS, AND FEATURES
October 2022
PRESENTATION: LGBTQ+ AFFIRMING CARE
Presenting to clinicians at the Washington State Co-Occuring disorders conference on how to provider gender and LGBTQ+ affirming care.
January and May 2022
PRESENTATION: RADICAL SELF-CARE
Presented to clinicians with the Washington State Clinical Social Work Society on preventing burn out.
July 22, 2021
PRESENTATION: SYSTEM COLLABORATION TO DISCHARGE YOUTH WITH BEHAVIORAL HEALTH NEEDS INTO SAFE AND STABLE HOUSING
United States Department of Housing and Urban Development: Centering Youth Leadership in Rural Youth Homeless Response. Region 10. Presenting with a Washington panel on my specialty being systems response to support behavioral health care for youth experiencing homelessness.
July 2021
PUBLICATION: DUAL STUDY DESCRIBING PATIENT-DRIVEN HARM REDUCTION GOAL-SETTING AMONG PEOPLE EXPERIENCING HOMELESSNESS AND ALCOHOL USE DISORDER.
Fentress, T. S. P., Wald, S., Brah, A., Leemon, G., Reyes, R., Alkhamees, F., Kramer, M., Taylor, E. M., Wildhood, M., Frohe, T., Duncan, M. H., Clifasefi, S. L., & Collins, S. E. (2021). Dual study describing patient-driven harm reduction goal-setting among people experiencing homelessness and alcohol use disorder. Experimental and Clinical Psychopharmacology, 29(3), 261–271. https://doi.org/10.1037/pha0000470
Full article: https://depts.washington.edu/harrtlab/wordpress/wp-content/uploads/2021/08/Fentress-et-al-2021.pdf
July 2021
PUBLICATION: SAFE AND SUPPORTIVE TRANSITION TO STABLE HOUSING FOR YOUTH AGES 16-25.
Wald, S., & Washington State Health Care Authority. (2021). Safe and supportive transition to stable housing for youth ages 16-25. https://www.hca.wa.gov/assets/program/safe-and-supportive-transition-for-stable-housing-for-transistion-aged-youth-20210701.pdf
April 2021
FEATURE: ANOTHER CUP OF TEA WITH SAZI WALD
Glennon, H. (April 7, 2021). Another Cup of Tea with Sazi Wald—Owner of Sunflower Mental Health. Retrieved July 16, 2021, from https://www.podbean.com/media/share/pb-pijza-fff1f5?utm_campaign=au_share_ep&utm_medium=dlink&utm_source=au_share
A deeper dive into trauma in behavioral health and accessing services.
March 2021
FEATURE: A CUP OF TEA WITH SAZI WALD
Glennon, H. (March 3, 2021). A Cup of Tea with Sazi Wald, owner of Sunflower Mental Health. Retrieved July 16, 2021, from https://www.podbean.com/media/share/pb-ivx28-fc7369?fbclid=IwAR1p8mABy3th2ARwyKC7a8eIHmghMalIZ6Dmf-nFN7Pcltpyek3u84v8Jp0
An overview of trauma and it's treatment.
May 2019
PRESENTATION: DEFINING HARM-REDUCTION GOALS AMONG HOMELESS INDIVIDUALS WITH ALCOHOL USE DISORDER.
Wald, S. L., Reyes, R., Fentress, T., Wildhood, M., Taylor, E. M., Collins, S. E. (2019, May). Defining harm-reduction goals among homeless individuals with alcohol use disorder. Poster session presented at the University of Washington Undergraduate Research Symposium, Seattle, WA.
WORKGROUPS AND ACTIVITIES
Just the most recent activity
2020-2023
ACTIVITIES: ADVISORY BOARD MEMBER
Promising practice from a collaboration between Stanford University and University of Washington. PI: Dr. Won-Fong Lau Johnson.
Trauma and Racism Addressed by Navigating Systemic Forms of Oppression with Resilience Methods (TRANSFORM). An anti-racist group-based intervention for youth designed to address and heal racial trauma.
2020-2022
WORKGROUP: CO-LEAD
Washington State Interagency Workgroup of Youth Homelessness. A state-wide workgroup on ending youth homelessness.
2020-2022
WORKGROUP: MEMBER
Senate Substitute Bill 6560 Core Team. Ensuring that recommendations from the SSB 6560 report are completed.
2020-2022
WORKGROUP: MEMBER
Washington State Health Care Authority's Division of Behavioral Health and Recovery Diversity Equity and Inclusion Workgroup. Improving policy and practice within DBHR.
2018-2019
ACTIVITIES: MEMBER
UW School of Social Work, Inclusive Education Committee.
Collaborated with faculty, staff, and students to create an equitable learning environment that embraces the SSW community and best practices.
ADDITIONAL TRAINING
Integrated Listening, Safe and Sound Protocol (2024)
Thrive-EMDRIA approved, EMDR Basic Training (2024)
WSSCSW, Everything to Know about Emotional Support Animals (2023)
Affirmative Couch, WPATH SOC8 Updates in Gender Affirming Care and Letter Writing (2023)
Sierra Tucson, The Somatic Approach to Trauma Healing (2023)
SP, Social Media and Mental Health (2023)
SP, Mindfulness with Kids and Teens (2023)
SP, Modalities of Treatment with Eating Disorders (2023)
SP, Pure "O" Identification and treatment (2023)
SP, Kink, BDSM, and Mental Health (2022)
WSSCSW, Ethics of Letter writing for Gender Affirming Care (2022)
SP, Therapy with Gifted Clients (2022)
SP, Gender Minority Stress: Trans & Nonbinary Clients (2022)
SP, Treatment and Diagnosis of Panic Attacks (2021)
PESI, Gottman Method Treating Affairs and Trauma (2021)
Psychwire, Emotionally Focused Therapy (EFT) Attachment Science in Practice (2021)
UW, Suicide Assessment and Treatment (2021)
CPT training institute, Cognitive Processing Therapy advanced certificate (2021)
PESI, Cognitive Processing Therapy: An Evidence-Based Approach to Treat PTSD and Related Conditions (Live Webinar) (2021)
SP, Getting Licensed in Multiple States (2021)
PESI, Emotionally Focused Therapy (EFT) for Difficult Couples Evidence-Based Techniques to Effectively Work With Challenging Couples (2021)
PESI/Joan Willemain Supervision, Acceptance & Commitment Therapy (ACT) Proficiency Course: Master the Core Components & Skills of ACT Across Diagnoses (2020)
PESI/Joan Willemain Supervision, Ethical and Legal Issues in Private Practice: Navigating the Top Challenges (2020)
PTTC, Culturally-Informed Motivational Interviewing Skills for Addressing Substance Misuse for African American Males (2020)
PESI/Joan Willemain Supervision, Grief and Loss Toolbox (2020)
PESI, Telehealth for Mental Health Professionals: 2-Day Distance Therapy Training (2020)
NNED, Communities Respond to COVID-19 with Innovative High-Impact Strategies (2020)
PCSS, Working with Adolescents and Youth Adults in the Community with Dr. Levy (2020)
NORC, Brief Intervention and Referral for Adolescents Parts I and II (2020)
PCSS, Telemedicine: Getting Started, Regulations and Privacy Issues (2020)
Institute for Innovation and Implementation, Trauma Informed Care(2020)
PCSS, Taking Care of Yourself Using Mindfulness and Other Techniques (2020)
PCSS, Treating the Homeless During COVID-19 (2020)
MHTTC, Psychosocial Impacts of Disasters: Assisting Community Leaders (with annotations for pandemics) (2020)
CU/CTTP, Rocky Mountain Tobacco Treatment Specialist Training Program (2020)
AAAP, The Connection between Mental Health and Opioid Use Disorder (2020)
PTTC, The Rise of Methamphetamine and How Implementing Coordinated Prevention, Treatment and Law Enforcement Response Can Make a Difference (2020)
PCSS, The Connection between Mental Health and Opioid Use Disorder (2020)
AAAP, An Introduction to the Criminal Justice System and MAT (2020)
AAAP, Nicotine and Stimulant Use in Adolescents (2019)
AAAP, Pharmacotherapy for Alcohol Use Disorder (2019)
AAAP, Screening Brief Intervention and Referral (2019)
AAAP, Changing Language, Changing Care, Stigma and Substance Use Disorders (2019)
AAAP, An Overview of Substance Use Disorders (2019)
National Hispanic and Latino Prevention Addiction Transfer Center Network, An Introduction to Critical Trauma Theory and its relationship to Substance Use Disorders in Latinx communities (2019)
CEPOP, Combatting the National Opioid Epidemic through Safe Disposal Strategies (2019)
NW PTTC, Regional Methamphetamine Use: What Prevention Practitioners Need to Know (2019)
PTTC, Preventing Opioid Misuse and Opioid Overdose: Moving Upstream (2019)
PTTC, Two Evidence-Based Prevention Approaches for the Hispanic and Latino Communities, (2019)
PTTC, Prevention in Action: Expanding and Improving Access to Safe Drug Disposal Options in Vermont (2019)
Cine-Med, CLAS Standards—Improving Cultural Competency for Behavioral Health Professionals (2019)
The Center for Implementation, Designing for Implementation (2019)
Prevention Specialist Certification Board of Washington, Drug Education Workshop (2019)
Prevention Summit, Marijuana Use and the Adolescent Brain (2019)
Prevention Summit, Funding Prevention Efforts (2019)
Prevention Summit, Where Research Meets Practice (2019)
Prevention Summit, Provider Meeting (2019)
CADCA, CADCA Bootcamp (2019)
Harborview Harm Reduction Research and Treatment Center, Harm Reduction Psychotherapy (2019)
PESI, Cognitive Behavioral Therapy for Kids (2019)
Medical University of South Carolina, Trauma-Focused Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (2019)
Citi Program, Human Subjects Training (2018)
UW Libraries, Graduate Student Research Institute (2018)
UW Health Science Library, Data Management Planning Workshop (2018)
WSBHC,* Talking about Race and Racism in Therapy (2018)
WSBHC, Investing in Resilience (2018)
WSBHC, Working with Older Adults (2018)
WSBHC, Suicide Prevention (2018)
WSBHC, Assessing and Managing Suicide Risk (2018)
RI International, Therapeutic Options (2016, 2017, 2018)
Relias Training, Professional Ethics (2016, 2017, 2017)
Risking Connections, Trauma Informed Care (2017)
Cascadia Training, Motivational Interviewing (2017)
Pierce County Behavioral Health Organization, Seeking Safety (2017)
National Counsel for Behavioral Health, Mental Health First Aid (2017)
RI International, Co-Occurring Disorders (2016)
RI International, Motivational Interviewing Basics (2016)
Body Mind Bridge Institute, Hypnotherapy Certification (2013)
Proud Theater, Certificate of Graduation (2010)
GSA Leadership Training Institute, Certificate of Graduation (2008)
*Washington State Behavioral Healthcare Conference
Phone: (360) 207-4467