MyChart Login
MCHC Welcomes Licensed Clinical Social Worker Sarah Leviloff
UKIAH, CA — In October, MCHC Health Centers welcomed licensed clinical social worker (LCSW) Sarah Leviloff, who will see patients of all ages at Hillside Health Center in Ukiah and Lakeview Health Center in Lakeport.
MCHC Behavioral Health Director Ben Anderson said, “Sarah absolutely radiates positive energy and we are so happy to have her on our team.”
While still a high school student in California’s Central Valley, Leviloff realized she wanted to work in a helping profession. Describing herself as bubbly and caring, she knew early on she wanted to work directly with people. One of her first jobs, working as a receptionist, cemented her interest in public-facing work.
After earning a bachelor’s degree in social work from Humboldt State University, Leviloff went on to receive a master’s degree in social work from the University of Southern California. Before joining MCHC, Leviloff worked at Redwood Community Services, often with patients affected by generational trauma, foster care, and other complex life experiences. She is comfortable working with people who have experienced trauma and those of all ages, especially teenagers.
Her strong interpersonal skills help her connect with patients in her role as a licensed clinical social worker. Working in behavioral health, she often sees patients who are seeking support during challenging times—managing anxiety or depression, processing grief, coping with job loss or relationship difficulties, or building skills to handle stress.
“I try to bring warmth and positive energy to my work. I try to normalize that it can be hard to be vulnerable,” she says.
Getting to know her patients is key to providing support. “I don’t just pathologize them. I get to know them as a person, whether that’s through talking or playing games.”
Leviloff says behavioral health therapy can help address needs that are difficult to meet in other ways. “Having someone to talk to who isn’t your family and isn’t your friend might give you a different perspective. It can help support people in the hard times and in the good times,” she says.
Leviloff takes a holistic approach to therapy, focusing on helping people empower themselves. That empowerment helps enable patients to make informed decisions about their health and well-being. She facilitates conversations to identify their values and think about what they want for the future. For many patients and their families, this means reconnecting with a sense of hope they might not have felt for a long time.
Rebuilding that sense of hope can come from noticing moments of joy and awe, practicing gratitude, spending time in nature, and learning to recognize and listen to their own inner wisdom.
“Sometimes patients think that it’s only the professionals who know the right thing to do, but I see myself as someone who helps patients facilitate change for themselves,” Leviloff says.
She appreciates the whole-person approach taken at MCHC, where providers can easily refer patients to other services. “I don’t say there’s a community resource you should check out; I can walk down the hall with them. There’s a lot of need in our community, and the fact that MCHC is a one-stop shop really impacted my choice to work here.”
Outside of work, Leviloff likes hiking, fishing, backpacking, and identifying plants and birds. She also practices yoga and meditation and enjoys spending time with her husband, her family, and her two cats.
MCHC Health Centers includes Hillside Health Center and Dora Street Health Center in Ukiah, Little Lake Health Center in Willits, and Lakeview Health Center in Lakeport. It is a community-based and patient-directed organization that provides comprehensive primary healthcare services as well as supportive services such as education and translation that promote access to healthcare.