What is Exploring Patterns?

This is a logo for Exploring Patterns, with two people made of simple lines, hiking and a ranbow colored watercolor space. The text Exploring Patterns is at the bottom of the circle that sounds the hikers. Exploring Patterns, LLC is a psychotherapy practice owned by Sarah Baca, a Registered Clinical Social Work Intern (RCSWI) offering psychotherapy in the state of Florida.

“Exploring” came about because therapy is about exploring your inner mental landscapes and discovering what you might not have noticed before. “Patterns” is because the only way to make lasting change is to recognize patterns in your thinking, feelings, and behavior. Also, one of the super powers of some types of neurodivergence is the ability to recognize patterns.

Why Autistic People?

Exploring Patterns specializes in Autistic people because the world is missing out on people whose brains work differently. Because these folks think and act differently, and can’t appear “weird” for fear of being excluded at school, work, and home, their brains are spending energy on how to behave and think like “normal” (neurotypical) people. But the energy that so many Autistic people are spending on fitting in could be used instead for trusting themselves, discovering what they want, need, and desire, finding like-minded people, and building the future they dream of.

Sarah dreams of a world where Autistic people feel comfortable in their own skin and don’t feel like they need to neglect themselves and appear perfect.

Who is Sarah?

Close up picture of Sarah, a fat, white woman. She has short curly hair and blue eyes. The photo is in black and white.

Sarah specializes in helping Autistic people who feel like they are persuing meaning, and who hope to be loved and accepted for who they are, not just by others, but by themselves. Sarah believes all people deserve a soft place to land, where they can stop masking and just be themselves.

As an AuDHD (Autistic and ADHD) woman, Sarah knows what it’s like to try and survive in a world not designed for you. Like many other Autistic people, justice is super important to her. She has people she loves in her life who are non-binary and transgender, and fiercely believes in their right to be who they truly are. She also believes that women’s rights are human rights, and include the right to bodily autonomy and respect. Sarah believes in Body Trust and is in the process of becoming a certified Body Trust provider, meaning she provides weight-inclusive care, rooted in social justice and healing.

Sarah has been doing change work since 2012 and strongly believes in folks ability to heal themselves when they have the right guide to encourage and support them. Sarah is a Registered Clinical Social Work Intern in the state of Florida.

Sarah uses treatment modalities with clients that completely depends on what works best for the client. Sarah usees Clean Language, which helps remove bias by allowing clients to explore your own experience without introducing her own interpretation of what they say. She also uses parts work to help clients recognize why some behaviors that used to work no longer do. Sarah also works with families supporting their neurodivergent children.