Dr. Sarah Wichman, LCSW, DSW

Lead therapist

director of ketamine therapy program

Sarah E. Wichman, LCSW, DSW is a highly experienced clinical social worker, educator, and palliative care specialist with nearly two decades of expertise supporting individuals and families navigating serious illness, end-of-life care, and grief.

Sarah earned her Master of Social Work from New York University and completed a prestigious Interprofessional Palliative Care Fellowship at the James J. Peters Veterans Affairs Medical Center. She later went on to receive her Doctorate in Clinical Social Work from the University of Pennsylvania School of Social Policy and Practice, where she was honored with the Ram Cnaan Award for Meritorious Achievement. Her doctoral research focused on the desire for hastened death among hospice patients, reflecting her deep commitment to understanding the emotional and psychological complexities of end-of-life care.

Sarah spent a decade as a Social Worker on the Palliative Care Consultation Service at NewYork-Presbyterian Hospital / Columbia University Medical Center, where she provided individual, family, and group counseling around serious illness, death, and bereavement. Her clinical approach integrates trauma-informed care with a range of therapeutic modalities, including psychodynamic therapy, cognitive behavioral techniques, mindfulness, and meaning-centered therapy. She is highly skilled in facilitating goals-of-care conversations, guiding patients and families through complex medical decisions with compassion and clarity.

Earlier in her career, Sarah served as a Hospice Social Worker with MJHS Hospice and Palliative Care, where she supported patients and families across home care, inpatient, and skilled nursing settings. She also provided counseling and group support to veterans during her fellowship at the VA, including those coping with PTSD and life-limiting illness.

In addition to her clinical work, Sarah is a dedicated educator and mentor. She has served as faculty advisor for palliative care fellows at Fordham University Graduate School of Social Service, lecturer for medical fellows at Columbia University Medical Center, and a guest lecturer across multiple academic and healthcare institutions. She is passionate about training the next generation of clinicians and advancing excellence in interdisciplinary care.

In 2025, Sarah expanded her clinical expertise by earning a Certificate in Psychedelic-Assisted Therapy and Research from the California Institute of Integral Studies, reflecting her forward-thinking approach to integrative and emerging therapeutic modalities.

Sarah is an active member of the National Association of Social Workers and several leading hospice and palliative care organizations. Her work is grounded in compassion, clinical excellence, and a deep respect for the human experience at every stage of life.

(Pronouns: She/Her/Hers) 

Licensed in Massachusetts, New York and Rhode Island.