Dissertation Mentorship & Research Consultation

Supervision

Sarah Harris, LMFT, RPT, BC-TMH
Serenity & Grace Therapeutic Services

Owner & Founder

I am a Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist, a Registered Play Therapist and an Approved Supervisor with the American Association for Marriage and Family Therapy (AAMFT). This means that I am a LMFT who is a Clinical Fellow of AAMFT and meet the requirements for the AAMFT Approved Supervisor designation.

I provide Clinical Supervision to individuals who are seeking licensure as an MFTs.

I have completed the 30 contact hour course in Marriage and Family Therapy Supervision Fundamentals which included both interactional and didactic instructional methods. I completed this at the AAMFT Institutes. I also met the requirement to write a Philosophy of Supervision paper which was reviewed by the course instructor and the Approved Supervisor mentor. 

Supervision will meet the following guidelines, according to AAMFT website:
  • Face-to-face conversation between the MFT/MFT trainee and the supervisor, usually in periods of approximately one hour each.
  • The learning process should be sustained and intense.
  • Appointments are customarily scheduled once a week, three times weekly is ordinarily the maximum and once every other week the minimum.
  • Supervision focuses on raw data from a MFT’s/trainee’s continuing clinical practice, which is available to the supervisor through a combination of direct live observation, co-therapy, written clinical notes, audio and video recordings, and live supervision.
  • It is a process clearly distinguishable from personal psychotherapy and is contracted in order to serve professional goals.
  • It is normally completed over a period of one to three years.
Diversity and social justice will many times be weaved into the conversation. I believe that it is important that families (clients) be viewed in the wider context of their environments, including social, political, economical and cultural realities. I value the unique values and perspectives that supervisees bring to supervision.

Online Payment for Supervision of Therapists 

Dissertation Mentorship & Research Consultation
Support for Counseling, Psychology, and MFT Doctoral Students

Dissertation Mentorship for Helping Professionals

Doctoral education can be intellectually meaningful and personally demanding. Many students experience isolation, overwhelm, self-doubt, difficulty maintaining momentum, and challenges balancing academic work with clinical, professional, and personal responsibilities.


I provide dissertation mentorship and research consultation for doctoral students in counseling, psychology, marriage and family therapy, and related helping professions who are seeking additional support outside of their university structure.



My approach combines accountability, mentorship, structure, encouragement, and professional guidance within a supportive and collaborative environment.


Areas of Support

Support may include:

  • Dissertation accountability and structure
  • Qualitative research consultation
  • Literature review development
  • Theoretical and conceptual clarity
  • Professional identity development
  • Counselor educator identity exploration
  • Dissertation process support
  • Burnout prevention and self-care planning
  • Academic confidence and imposter syndrome support
  • Clinical-to-academic transition support
  • Systems-oriented conceptualization and thinking
  • Consultation regarding presentation and professional development goals



Please note: Dissertation mentorship and consultation services are designed to provide support, structure, and professional guidance and do not replace university faculty advisors, dissertation chairs, or institutional review processes.


Who I Work Best With

I especially enjoy supporting:

  • Counseling doctoral students
  • Marriage and Family Therapy doctoral students
  • PsyD and PhD students
  • Working professionals completing doctoral programs
  • Clinicians balancing private practice and academic work
  • Students completing qualitative or relationally-oriented research
  • Helping professionals seeking mentorship and accountability throughout the dissertation process


My Mentorship Approach

My mentorship style is collaborative, relational, and structured. I strive to create an environment that balances accountability with encouragement while helping students remain connected to both their academic goals and professional identity.



I understand that many doctoral students are simultaneously balancing:

  • clinical work
  • family responsibilities
  • burnout
  • perfectionism
  • imposter syndrome
  • financial stress
  • academic pressure


About Sarah Harris, LMFT-S

Sarah Harris is an AAMFT Approved Supervisor & Mentor, Trained Play Therapist, and owner of Serenity & Grace Therapeutic Services (SGTS). She has extensive experience mentoring therapists, graduate students, interns, and helping professionals through clinical development, systems thinking, professional identity formation, and structured growth processes.

Her approach integrates relational understanding, systems-oriented thinking, ethical awareness, and supportive accountability.


Consultation Options

Support may include:

  • Individual mentorship sessions
  • Ongoing accountability meetings
  • Research and writing consultation
  • Professional identity development support
  • Systems-oriented consultation
  • Goal-setting and structure planning


Services are individualized based on the student’s needs, stage of dissertation work, and professional goals.


Consultation Fee

Dissertation mentorship and research consultation sessions are offered at:


$200 per session


Session frequency and structure are individualized based on the student’s needs, stage of dissertation work, and professional goals.


Interested in Dissertation Mentorship?

Please submit:

  • Brief introduction
  • Resume or CV
  • Current doctoral program
  • Dissertation/research stage
  • Areas where support is desired
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