Meet our Therapists

MEET OUR THERAPISTS

The people supporting your care.

Sarah Hess Metz, LCSW

Sarah Hess Metz has more than a decade of experience supporting youth and families through direct clinical services, trauma-responsive supervision, program development, and nonprofit leadership. She brings a broad and integrated skill set in child, adolescent, and family therapy; crisis intervention; service coordination; and organizational development.

As a Licensed Clinical Social Worker, Sarah uses a client- and family-centered, strengths-based approach, drawing from Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) and other evidence-based practices. Her early work history was grounded in community-based settings, including therapeutic foster care. Sarah is formally trained in Functional Family Therapy (FFT), a homebased evidence-based model focused on improving family functioning and long-term outcomes for youth.

Sarah is the former Associate Director of Clinical Services for Shineforth’s residential program, the Child & Family Healing Center, where she provided therapy, supervision, and program oversight. She’s a Level II trained clinician in Collaborative Problem Solving and earned her Master’s of Social Work from Virginia Commonwealth University.

Known for her curious, collaborative, and relationship-based style, Sarah works alongside clients, families, and community partners to identify strengths, explore solutions, and foster meaningful, sustainable change.

Ngati Godfrey Joroh, MSN, APRN, PMHNP-BC

Psychiatric Mental Health Nurse Practitioner | Board Certified

Mr. Joroh brings decades of experience in psychiatric care across leading institutions, including George Washington University Hospital and UVA Health. A former teacher who immigrated from Africa and rose through every level of nursing practice, he specializes in anxiety, depression, trauma, mood disorders, and behavioral health. Throughout his career, he has led multidisciplinary teams, including psychiatrists, therapists, social workers, and nurses, in inpatient, emergency, and outpatient settings. He is currently pursuing his DNP in psychiatric nursing and remains deeply committed to reducing stigma and restoring hope for every patient he serves.

Carly Stevens, MS, SOTP Supervisee

Carly Stevens is a Resident in Counseling with experience supporting youth and families across intensive in-home services, intensive outpatient programming, and residential treatment. She holds a Master’s in Clinical Mental Health Counseling and has worked with young people and families navigating a wide range of clinical needs and life circumstances. 

Carly works from a trauma-responsive, strengths-based approach, drawing from Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT) and Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) to support individual growth and skill development. She is a Registered Play Therapy Supervisee with training in Child-Centered Play Therapy and Sand Tray Therapy, treating play and expressive interventions as primary clinical tools and recognizing play as the natural language through which children communicate, process, and heal. 

Carly’s training in Structural Family Therapy shapes the way she works with both individuals and families — she pays close attention to the relationships and patterns that surround a person, not just what’s happening for them individually. She believes lasting change happens when the people closest to us are part of the process, which is why she prioritizes family engagement and sees parents and loved ones as essential partners in supporting long-term growth. 

Known for her grounded, relationship-first approach, Carly works alongside youth and families to build insight, develop practical skills, and strengthen the connections that support long-term wellbeing. Outside of clinical work, she is an avid rock climber — a practice that reflects the same patience, trust, and belief in incremental progress she brings to her work every day. 

Alivia Shaw, OTD, OTR/L

Alivia Shaw is an Occupational Therapist who specializes in working with youth residing at Shineforth’ ‘s residential program, the Child & Family Healing Healing Center.

Alivia works with youth to gain or enhance skills related to executive functioning, sensory processing, emotional/behavioral regulation, life skills, and many more. The goal of occupational therapy in this setting is to enhance the therapeutic process and promote mental well-being through interaction in age-appropriate, meaningful activities. 

She graduated in August of 2025 from Emory & Henry University with her Doctorate in Occupational Therapy. Prior to starting graduate school, she attended Virginia Commonwealth University and graduated in 2022 with a dual degree in Psychology and Kinesiology. Her primary areas of interest are pediatrics, mental health, and feeding therapy.

Alivia’s favorite part about working at Shineforth is that it allows her to make a meaningful impact on youth through helping them learn more about themselves and advocate for their needs.