Hidden Gems: Meet Sagan King of Evolve Psychological Services

Today we’d like to introduce you to Sagan King.

Hi Sagan, it’s an honor to have you on the platform. Thanks for taking the time to share your story with us – to start maybe you can share some of your backstory with our readers?
Psychology as a field of study was always something that appealed to me because I always wanted to know why. I wanted to learn people’s motivations, viewpoints, life experiences, and backgrounds to better understand how those things affect our values, choices, and outlook on the world. I knew from a young age that I wanted to be a psychologist and do good in the world, helping as many people as I could, and drawing attention to issues that I think deserve to be fully understood. Growing up in a small town in rural Ohio, I knew I wanted to explore the world and collaborate with people from all walks of life. I earned my first two degrees in the hills of Appalachia in Kentucky, and first practiced as a therapist in Atlanta, Georgia. I loved being exposed to people’s stories where I was, but found myself wanting a change. I then enjoyed working as a counselor in Indiana at both juvenile and adult forensic settings, and learned a lot while in a private practice setting. However, I knew I would regret not pursuing my doctorate. I returned to school in Washington, D.C., because I wanted to study how change could be made on a larger scale and wanted to learn about public health and public policy in conjunction with psychology. I accepted an internship at a community mental health practice in Boulder, Colorado, and was delighted to experience the Rocky Mountain views every day. After that year, it was time for another change, and I found myself moving to the Research Triangle in North Carolina for approximately a year and a half. The time I spent there revitalized my viewpoint and showed me how each experience I had gave me the knowledge to build a practice that fit my values. I wanted a practice that had integrity and focused on kindness, advocacy, collaboration, and growth to find meaningful enlightenment. Through these past experiences I realized the time was right to return to Ohio. I found myself drawn to Cincinnati for many unknown reasons, and now, being in this city, I could not imagine my practice being located anywhere else. Everywhere I look, this city is full of history, culture, and passion, which extends to the people who call Cincinnati home. Although I have only been here since April 2023, I have already felt such a connection to this city and its people. I have been able to slowly and steadily built the practice I have always wanted to be a part of and I am excited to see what the next chapter will bring.

We all face challenges, but looking back would you describe it as a relatively smooth road?
Both my personal and professional journeys have been full of challenges and struggles. I always tell my clients that sometimes it feels like life is not for the faint of heart. I have faced the more tangible obstacles, such as transferring licensure from state to state, marketing to meet clientele, and networking to collaborate with other professionals. However, the biggest obstacles I have faced were confronting my inner sense of restlessness that has always kept me on the move and feeling like I should always be doing more. However, I am motivated by the quote, “Some use the challenges in their lives as roadblocks, others use them as stepping stones.” Therefore, when I face a hardship, I will allow myself to be upset by it and then sit with that discomfort and try to listen to my instincts tell me what I need to do next. I try to make the next best choice I can while acting within my values and display fortitude and integrity along the way.

We’ve been impressed with Evolve Psychological Services, but for folks who might not be as familiar, what can you share with them about what you do and what sets you apart from others?
I am a licensed clinical psychologist with ten-plus years of experience in the field of psychology. I work with clients from all walks of life as an individual therapist, helping to provide knowledge, skills, and insight into their obstacles using their story as a roadmap for our journey. I will tell my clients they are the captain of the ship, and I am their navigator with the map we create, knowing where we have been and what options they have to explore next to get them closer to their goals. In addition to individual therapy, I complete psychological assessments to confirm a diagnosis, answer a question, or create treatment recommendations. I have worked with individuals, families, other providers, and lawyers to determine what is going on and why, with the support of interviews, testing, and research. Lastly, I am a public speaker for events and organizations that recruit me to educate clients about various topics. Evolve Psychological Services was created to be a space where people could come to feel seen, heard, and understood, no matter where they were in their story. I wanted a practice that was about community and advocacy more so than strictly business. I realize my style as a therapist and speaker may not be for everyone, but genuineness and integrity are my core values. As a brand, I wanted to authentically connect with the psychological principle of unconditional positive regard, which, in a world of judgment, is a hard thing to find. This idea is simply the complete acceptance and non-judgmental support of another, regardless of their words or actions.

Can you talk to us about how you think about risk?
Risk-taking in psychology and in life can be viewed very positively or negatively, depending on the situation, contributors, and outcome. I encourage my clients to recognize that fear, like any other emotion, provides us with information that something is important to us and perhaps worth facing and protecting. The absence of fear is not courage, but foolishness. I think the biggest professional risk I took was not only starting my own practice, but moving to a completely unknown city with no in-person clients and only one real professional connection, and believing in myself. Although I do not view myself as a risk-taker, I think that making a choice where you can allows people to have a sense of power and control in a world that can easily feel like a riptide. Although people may not feel like they have a good choice, they always have a choice, and I want to create a world I am proud to live in. Again, the saying, “the only thing necessary for the triumph of evil is for good humans to do nothing,” really connects with my view of risk-taking in both professional and personal ways.

Pricing:

• individual therapy – $200 dollars per hour
• psychological assessments – range from $1,000 to $5,000 (depending on testing selected)
• public speaking- $1,000 dollars and up
• I offer sliding scale fee adjustments and take insurance (Aetna and Custom Design Benefits)

Contact Info:

• Website: https://www.evolutionpsych.com/
• LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/evolve-psychological-services/?viewAsMember=true