Photo credit: © JillLang – depositphotos.com
This summer marked 20 years since I founded White Picket Fence Counseling Center, and I find myself both proud and humbled as I look back on the journey that brought me here.
I started the center right out of grad school, with a leap of courage and a vision. I purchased a historic residence in Winter Park, Florida, and saw in it not just a building, but a welcoming space where people could feel safe enough to do the vulnerable, transformative work of counseling. It took some creativity and a lot of determination to remodel it to code for office zoning and even annex the property from Orange County into the City of Winter Park. But from the very beginning, I felt that this place was meant to be a sanctuary.
From the very start, I chose to specialize in the treatment of eating disorders, an area that also embraces the complexities of emotional eating, body image and relationship issues, trauma, and anxiety. These issues so often co-occur, as well as exist independently of an eating disorder. They all deserve compassionate, skilled care.
In concert, I was joined by a talented and brilliant group of mental health professionals (psychologists, mental health counselors, and marriage and family therapists) who rented the extra offices. Over time, my practice grew into a thriving center with a team of clinicians, dietitians, and interns working with me. Many of those who started here went on to build flourishing practices of their own, and I’ve always felt honored to be part of that beginning chapter of their stories.
The atmosphere of the center was unique. Thanks to my first career as an interior designer, I like to think I had a special eye for creating an environment that was not only functional but deeply inviting. Clients often told us they came to White Picket Fence not only to explore and learn about themselves, but because the space itself seemed to embrace them with warmth and possibility.
Expanding Horizons
In time, White Picket Fence Counseling Center grew beyond that single historic home. We added multiple locations, including in Orlando and Clearwater, to meet the growing needs of our clientele.
Just a few months before COVID, I made the bittersweet decision to sell the Winter Park building. It was the end of a beautiful era, but also the beginning of a new chapter. As the world shifted, so did we, transitioning into a fully virtual practice that allowed me to expand my license to practice in four states. This change made it possible to reach and support clients in new ways, while still holding true to the core values of White Picket Fence.
A New Chapter in Pennington
Today, 20 years after that first bold step in Winter Park, White Picket Fence Counseling continues its journey in yet another form. I now see clients in person in my new office in Pennington, New Jersey, on Mondays, while continuing to offer virtual sessions on other weekdays. I also travel back and forth from my home in Princeton, NJ, to Palm Harbor, FL, and still see many of my clients in Florida.
The spirit that guided me from the beginning—the belief that healing can be nurtured in a space that feels safe, inviting, and supportive—remains at the heart of everything I do.
As I celebrate this milestone, I am deeply grateful for every client who trusted us with their story, for every therapist and dietitian who shared their gifts along the way, and for the opportunities to grow, adapt, and carry my mission forward.
White Picket Fence has always been more than a counseling center. It has been a community, a place of hope, and a home for healing. And after 20 years, I am as committed as ever to continuing this work, in new spaces and new ways, while carrying the lessons of the past into the future.
If you’ve been part of this journey in any way as a client, colleague, or supporter, thank you.💚 Thinking about becoming a client? I welcome you as I am currently accepting new clients 18+ in Florida, New Jersey, Tennessee, and North Carolina.
Text (407) 622-0202 to set up a phone call or schedule here.
With gratitude,
Sandee