CMR Fitness

“When we first started working together, I felt like my weight was the root of all of my problems, and if I could just get that under control, then everything else would fall into place.

After years of dieting, perfectionism, and eating, the first thing we needed to do was break those patterns. The more we worked together, the more it became clear that weight wasn’t really the issue—there was something deeper-seated that needed to be addressed for anything external to ever change.

This was definitely not an easy process because some of these things are really deeply rooted and kind of painful when you start picking at them. What we’re doing is we’re essentially rewiring deep-seated patterns of thinking and replacing them with healthier thoughts.

The thing I love most about working with Sarah is she is amazing. What she does is almost magic—being able to listen to you, get to the root of the problem, and work you through it is something that’s just almost magical, honestly.

I’ll go into a session with her thinking that my problem is my problem, and she’ll start picking at it and come to the realization that it’s tied to something entirely different. She helps me break that connection.

It’s something maybe from my childhood that was ingrained a long time ago, and then we work together and figure out how to deal with that, how to change that thinking into something positive that’s going to serve me—because obviously what is going on is not serving me.

By the end of a session where we’ve hit something really deep, I’m already feeling better about it, and it’s really unlikely for it to pop up again. If it does, it’s not in a way that it’s been in the past, and it’s much easier to deal with, especially since I know what the root problem is.

If anything difficult does pop up between sessions, then I have the tools that Sarah’s given me to deal with them myself. Or, if it’s something that I feel like I need some help on, she’s always willing to give me some tools or even a phone call in between where I can talk to her and maybe work through it before our next session.

I love that Sarah is gentle and kind but also willing to kick your butt when needed. I’m so grateful to have her in my life, helping me along this journey and helping me become the person I was created to be.”

“I literally just got off a LifeRehab call with Sarah and I just have to shout out about how amazing she is. Her superpowers are hard to put into words, but I’ll try! Sessions with Sarah are ALWAYS a positive force in my life. Yes, we discuss the surface issues that are always present (either excess or lack of nutrition, exercise, water, etc.), but the conversation inevitably goes much deeper than that. Nothing is off-limits, no issue is too big or too small, and there is nothing she can’t help me work through. Sarah always asks just the right questions to dig into what my real struggles are, and then is so masterful about how she helps me work through them in a real and powerful way. She is able to speak into my heart and make key connections that I was unable to make on my own. I may go into the call not even realizing what was bothering me, but through talking and tapping and laughter and tears, I always leave our calls feeling calmer, stronger, and better able to move more purposefully through my daily life.

I can honestly say that working with Sarah for the past two years has been amazing, but the past couple months of LifeRehab have been nothing short of life-changing. She has helped me to step into my power and be a more confident version of myself in all of my roles…mom, wife, entrepreneur, badass woman. Sarah is the most talented and insightful coach/therapist I’ve had the privilege of working with, and she is also one of the coolest people you’ll ever meet. Trust me when I say, working with Sarah is one of the best decisions I’ve ever made in my journey toward becoming the best version of me that I can be.”

“I would like to share about the amazing experience we have had with Sarah Carlson at Complete Mind Recovery, which is a part of CMR in Yorkville. My son has seen different therapists over the years since he was in 2nd grade for his anxiety and OCD. He has learned tools to manage it and it has helped to some degree, but he still suffered. The biggest challenge with traditional therapy is the time in between appointments where he would be struggling and have to wait until his next appointment to address his problem. This would always involve me (not a therapist) to try to navigate what a solution might be for him, and that is very hard and stressful and mostly ineffective. The difference with Sarah at CMR is that in addition to in-person visits, she has the patient and parent (if patient is a child) communicate any and all concerns with her via WhatsApp. This has made a HUGE difference in progressing through his and my feelings and questions and finding solutions quicker and getting more thorough feedback. Most of the time in the past, we’d forget about our problems by the time the next appointment rolled around.

The other amazing thing that Sarah offers is a ton of nutrition guidance. My son struggles with traits of an eating disorder, and I really wanted to make sure he was not only healing his mind and thoughts around food, but also teaching him how to properly fuel his body! Sarah has 10+ years of nutrition counseling experience in addition to mental health. He is an athlete, and she has been teaching him how to properly fuel his body to his full potential.

She is so warm and fun to talk to. She makes it so easy to open up to. My son has no problem asking her questions and he always understands her answers.

I was nervous to go to her because it isn’t covered by insurance, but it has been one of the best purchases we have ever made. You cannot put a price tag on mental and physical health, and Sarah addresses both.

I just wanted to share this in case anyone else is looking for a place to address your or your child’s mental health. There are other options! She will be by your side every step of the way!”

“‘Life coach’ feels like such a broad and unclear title for what Sarah really offers. From the very first session, I felt her energy—it’s contagious in the best way, and exactly what I needed to start moving again. I came in feeling stuck, unsure, and overwhelmed, and Sarah met me with clarity, focus, and a grounded presence that made everything feel a little more doable.

What makes her different from traditional therapy isn’t just her enthusiasm; it’s her deep understanding of health and wellness, not just for the mind, but for the body and soul too. Her guidance is practical, personalized, and rooted in genuine care. Working with her has helped me reconnect with myself in ways I didn’t even realize I needed.

If you’re craving real change and support that actually makes a difference, Sarah is someone you want in your corner.”