Today we’d like to introduce you to Sara Gorman, LMFT.
Hi Sara, we’d love for you to start by introducing yourself.
My name is Sara M. Gorman, LMFT (please, just call me Sara). I have two Master’s degrees from Nova Southeastern University and have lived in Southeast Florida for about eight years.
My path to becoming a therapist (and founding my own practice) was not linear. I began my career in traditional clinical settings where therapists were expected to fit into rigid frameworks, avoid challenging the system, and reduce clients to diagnostic labels. For years, I saw a clear disconnect between real human experiences and the way the system responded to them. Eventually that gap became too significant to ignore, and I knew I needed to practice therapy in a way that felt human, relational, and deeply honest.
HONEST Health Center Inc. emerged from that realization.
It started with a small office and my belief that greater healing could happen when people felt genuinely seen. A turning point came when Courtney J. Burch, LMFT, joined HONEST. Courtney and I share the same core philosophy: people heal when they feel empowered rather than shamed, and when they are treated as whole, resilient individuals instead of a list of symptoms. Together, we have developed a trauma-informed, compassionate, and non-stigmatizing space that helps clients understand their stories in a way that restores their power.
Our shared values shaped the foundation HONEST is built upon today. We developed a practice where clients do not have to minimize their pain, where authenticity is welcomed, and where clinicians are allowed to be human. Even as we’ve expanded, our philosophy has remained the same; therapy should help people feel capable, not broken.
Living and working in South Florida also shaped our mission in a very real way. We live in a region where the cost of living rises every year, where being “middle class” often means feeling stretched thin, and where mental health care can feel financially or emotionally inaccessible. Therefore, we have built HONEST with the middle class of South Florida in mind. We serve individuals and families navigating work, stress, trauma, and major life transitions—often with limited support. Our goal is to offer care that feels accessible, grounded, and genuinely supportive to the people who need it most.
What began as one small office has grown into a multi-location practice serving children, adolescents, and adults across Broward County. HONEST continues to grow because our mission resonates with the people we serve. Every step of this journey has reinforced a simple truth: healing does not come from perfection. It comes from honesty, compassion, and the courage to be fully seen.
Can you talk to us a bit about the challenges and lessons you’ve learned along the way. Looking back would you say it’s been easy or smooth in retrospect?
It hasn’t always been a smooth road. One of the biggest challenges in building HONEST has been doing so while living with a chronic illness. My symptoms are unpredictable, and there were many times when fatigue, pain, and medical uncertainty made even the basic demands of running a practice incredibly difficult. Managing my health often felt like a second job.
With a professional background in clinical leadership, I understand clinical structures and policies clearly; however, my illness forced me to confront how inaccessible those systems can feel when you are the one in need.
There are days when I move between personal medical appointments and client sessions while managing symptoms no one can see. These experiences do not weaken me; they shape the heart of HONEST. They deepen my empathy, strengthen my boundaries, and motivate me to build a practice grounded in compassion and humanity.
Living through the realities of chronic illness has also made it clear how essential it is for care to be affordable and reachable, which is why I’ve remained firm about accepting health insurance. I want people who are struggling—physically, emotionally, and financially—to still have access to high-quality support.
The road hasn’t been easy, but it has been real. My chronic illness has not stopped me from building HONEST; it continues to shape the values the practice stands on today.
Thanks – so what else should our readers know about HONEST Health Center Inc. ?
HONEST Health Center Inc. is redefining what modern mental health care feels like. We are not a revolving-door practice or a clinic that rushes people through sessions. At HONEST, clients receive thoughtful, personalized care from a team that genuinely values their story and their potential.
We support children, adolescents, adults, couples, and families who want meaningful, high-quality care as they navigate life’s most complex and challenging moments. Our services include evidence-based therapy, one-on-one coaching with a certified life coach, and exclusive co-therapy packages where Courtney and I work together as licensed psychotherapists to deliver an elevated, accelerated treatment experience that is truly unique.
We accept cash and most major insurance plans because exceptional care shouldn’t be exclusive — it should be accessible to the people who need it most.
Every element of HONEST, from our clinical philosophy to our collaborative model, was designed to feel supportive, motivating, and transformative. HONEST is not just a therapy and coaching practice; it is a place where people can feel safe enough to grow, grounded enough to heal, and empowered enough to change their lives.
Is there any advice you’d like to share with our readers who might just be starting out?
My biggest advice for anyone just starting out is this: don’t wait to feel “ready.” You grow into readiness by starting. You learn by doing. I spent a long time believing I needed perfect health, perfect timing, perfect confidence, and perfect clarity before I could build something meaningful — none of that ever came. The beginning is the time to practice courage, not perfection.
I also wish I had known sooner how powerful it is to build from your values, not your fears. When I stopped trying to fit into traditional systems and started creating the kind of space I once needed, everything changed. Be intentional about the work you take on, the people you surround yourself with, and the boundaries you set.
And finally, please don’t do this alone. Find mentors, colleagues, or peers who understand your mission. Ask questions. Accept help. Surround yourself with people who believe in your vision even on the days you don’t. The most important thing I learned is that you don’t have to build fast; you just have to build honestly.
Pricing:
- Call the office for pricing information!
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.honesthealthcenter.com
- Instagram: @honesthealthcenter / @therapywithsara
- Facebook: @honesthealthcenter
- Other: TikTok: @therapywithSara
Image Credits
Group Photo Credit: Courtney J. Burch, LMFT (left) and Sara M. Gorman, LMFT (right)
Female Photo Credit: Courtney J. Burch, LMFT
Male Photo Credit: Francisco ‘Franco’ Trujillo, PT, DPT, CSRS, VRC, CLC
