Maxine Brown-Sartor , LPC

Maxine Brown-Sartor is a Licensed Professional Counselor (LPC) practicing in South Carolina with eight years of clinical experience. She has worked in school settings as a school counselor and served in the community as a behavioral specialist, delivering behavioral modification support to families and providing both individual and group therapy in home settings.

She has guided parents to community resources, including Family Connections and Developmental Pediatrics, to assist in securing special education services for children with special needs. Her work with these children has focused on social skills, independent living skills, and building self-esteem. As a mother of a child with special needs, she brings personal insight into the daily challenges faced by these children and their families.

As a client-centered therapist who works with teens and adults, she prioritizes careful listening and collaborative problem solving. She believes people can change negative thoughts and actions into positive ones, and she supports that process by teaching techniques such as positive self-talk, mindfulness, and journaling. She models and demonstrates these strategies to help clients practice between sessions.

She strives to offer a nonjudgmental and understanding environment and evaluates clients for any self-harm behaviors when appropriate. She recognizes that sometimes people primarily need someone to listen and to feel understood, a need that has been especially apparent during the pandemic.

Therapeutic approaches for online care with Maxine

Maxine uses client-centered therapy to create a supportive space where the client leads the conversation and the therapist follows. This approach emphasizes empathy and respect and is useful for people seeking validation, clarity, and a partnership in working through life challenges.

She also employs cognitive behavioral therapy - CBT - which focuses on identifying and changing unhelpful thoughts and behaviors. CBT is commonly used for managing anxiety, depression, stress, and coping with day-to-day difficulties by teaching practical skills and thought-reframing exercises.

Mindfulness therapy is another tool she integrates, encouraging present-moment awareness through simple practices like mindful breathing and reflective journaling. Mindfulness can help reduce reactivity, improve emotional regulation, and support self-awareness.

Finding the right approach is part of the therapeutic process, and Maxine collaborates with each client to determine which methods best match their needs, goals, and preferences. She adapts strategies over time as progress and challenges emerge.

Online sessions via video calls, phone, live chat, or text-based messaging provide flexibility for clients with busy schedules, caregiving responsibilities, or limited local options. These formats allow licensed professionals to deliver consistent care, make it easier to maintain continuity between appointments, and offer multiple ways to engage in therapy based on what works best for the individual.