Sarah de Sousa
MA Santa Clara University, Counseling Psychology 2016
BA Stanford University, Humanities 2003
Concentration: Modern Thought and Literature
Humanities Department Steering Committee, Student Liaison
Summer Institute for Educators, Certificate of Completion 2015
University of California Berkeley, Greater Good Science Center
Week-long training devoted to integrating the science of social-emotional learning, mindfulness, character education, and other areas of prosocial human development into the DNA of schools, including school relationships, adult self-care, school climate, and academic content.
SdeS Consulting, LLC Founder
Mentor and coach adolescents and young adults as they navigate academic, personal, and extracurricular challenges, fostering clarity, insight, and self-direction. Guide young people in goal setting, decision-making, and personal growth, helping them develop resilience and a strong sense of purpose. Support students in identifying their strengths, passions, and opportunities for leadership and meaningful engagement. Collaborate with families to create personalized strategies that empower students to thrive in school and beyond, becoming the architects of their own lives.
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Raise the Bar Mentorship Alliance 2024-Present
Director of Mentor Development: Develop and lead the training and ongoing support of hospitality industry leaders, equipping them to mentor emerging talent. Design and implement advanced mentor development programs, emphasizing leadership, communication, and strategic guidance. Design and refine mentorship frameworks, resources, and engagement strategies to ensure impactful and sustainable mentor-mentee relationships. Collaborate with organizational leadership to refine mentorship models and expand program impact. Assess program effectiveness and mentor engagement to drive continuous improvement and best practices.
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Pacific Collegiate School 2019-2021​
Director of College Counseling, Academic Advisor (grades 11,12): Advised 11th and 12th-grade students on academic planning, college admissions, and post-secondary pathways. Developed and implemented year-long college counseling curricula for both grade levels, providing structured guidance on applications, essays, financial aid, and career exploration. Built relationships with college admissions representatives and facilitated campus visits and informational sessions. Served as a key partner to the school administration and Board of PCS, navigating strategic decisions and educational challenges during the COVID-19 pandemic. Collaborated with faculty to integrate college readiness initiatives into the academic curriculum, as well as develop and implement multi-tiered systems of support for all grade levels.
*Ranked #4 of public high schools in California in 2019 by U.S. News & World Report
*Ranked as "One of America's Most Challenging High Schools" by The Washington Post ​
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Insight Education, LLC 2012-2019​
Educational Consultant: Worked directly with 60-70 active counseling clients per year to help students through every stage of their high school journey, including (but not limited to) academics, standardized testing, extracurricular activities and internships, leadership and community service work, college admissions essays, applications, interviews, scholarships and more. Worked with a wide range of students, including students with learning differences, IEP/504 plans, and test accommodations. Developed curriculum for and taught regular group workshops on the college admissions landscape, essay writing, resume and interview preparation, career development, and stress management. Pursued ongoing professional development through participation in trade organizations, visits to college campuses, strategic partnerships with high school counselors and college admissions departments. Represented Insight Education at business fairs, local events, and on social media platforms, radio, television, and print media.
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Director/Business Analyst: Managed caseload and sales pipeline analysis for 5-member counseling team, oversaw new counselor training, coordinated with marketing and admin teams to enhance sales pipeline performance, reinforced Insight’s mission and positive culture through planning and executing in-house staff-development events.
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Santa Cruz Coffee Roasting 2005-2012​
General Manager: Managed operations of a family-owned gourmet coffee Roaster/Retailer/Wholesaler with 50+ employees, three retail locations and Roasting/Production facility. Responsibilities included: general accounting, product development, quality control, coffee sourcing and traveling to build relationships with producers at origin, identifying opportunities for business expansion, recruiting, hiring, developing and implementing training programs, marketing, copy writing, web development, acting as regional manager to three retail locations, benefits administration, continued oversight and development of Co-Worker Guide, and representing the company’s PR efforts regionally, nationally and internationally through participation in trade organizations, conferences, educational institutions, and other speaking engagements. Collaborated on-site in the filming of a Nicaragua based documentary, In Our Hands: Sustainable Relationships in Specialty Coffee, funded by Santa Cruz Coffee Roasting Co., Co-produced the documentary AGROECO Coffee: The Story of Coopepueblos in Agua Buena, Costa Rica, and was featured on PBS Canada and National Geographic Channel’s special, Coffee: From Beans to Buzz.
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Professional Associations & Additional Skills
Western Association for College Admission Counseling, Member
Attend annual conference
Poetry Publications: 2 River View, Written River, Mothers Always Write, Snapdragon
Nominated for a 2017 Pushcart Prize in Poetry
Accomplished Dancer: Classical Ballet, Ballroom, Salsa, West Coast Swing
Guest Instructor for Stanford West Coast Swing Club, Do Your Own Swing, South Bay Swing Fling, Swingtacular, and other events.
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Publications
The Dance of Presence: Mindfulness and Movement. In: Kirkcaldy B. (eds) Psychotherapy, Literature and the Visual and Performing Arts. Palgrave Studies in Creativity and Culture. Palgrave Macmillan. de Sousa S., Shapiro S. (2018)
Mindfulness Training for Teachers. In Handbook of Mindfulness in Education. New York: Springer.
Shapiro, S., Rechtschaffen, D., & de Sousa, S. (2016).
Mindfulness in Positive Clinical Psychology. In Positive Clinical Psychology: An Integrative Approach to Improving Well-Being. Wiley. Shapiro, S., de Sousa, S., & Hauck, C. (2015).
Mindfulness and Positive Psychology. In Oxford Handbook of Positive Psychology (3rd ed.). Oxford University Press. Shapiro, S., Jazaieri, H., & de Sousa, S. (2015).
Mindfulness-based treatment approaches: Clinician's guide to evidence base and applications (pp. 319-345) Mindfulness for health care professionals and therapists in training. In R. A. Baer (Ed.), San Diego, CA: Academic Press. Shapiro, S., Thakur, S., & de Sousa, S. (2014).
Mindfulness, Mental Health, and Positive Psychology. In Mindfulness in Positive Psychology: The science of Meditation and Wellbeing. Routledge. Shapiro, S., de Sousa, S., & Jazaieri, H. (2014).