NERC Employee Spotlight: Sarah Stewart

The New England Recovery Center (NERC) is defined by the people who bring its mission to life. Sarah Stewart, Program Director of the Clinical Stabilization Services (CSS) and Acute Treatment Services (ATS) programs, plays a central role in creating a space where compassion and clinical excellence work hand in hand. With a background that spans outpatient and inpatient care, and a personal connection to addiction recovery, Sarah brings empathy, insight, and vision to her everyday work.

A Career Grounded in Belonging

Sarah’s journey into the field of addiction recovery began in a place she didn’t expect. Initially trained in child and family therapy, she began working as an outpatient clinician in 2013. Seeking a new professional challenge, she transitioned into substance misuse treatment and quickly found a deep sense of purpose in the work. What began as a career shift soon became a calling. Her experiences in addiction care, paired with personal exposure to the impact of substance misuse in her own family, gave her a profound appreciation for the importance of community, connection, and humanizing care.

As her career advanced, Sarah took on supervisory roles and expanded into the inpatient setting. When the opportunity to join NERC arose through a former colleague and mentor, she embraced the next phase of her professional journey.

Balancing Operations and Direct Care

As Program Director, Sarah oversees the day-to-day functioning of the CSS and ATS programs, balancing administrative leadership with direct clinical involvement. Her approach is grounded in operational efficiency and human connection. While much of her work ensures that programs run smoothly behind the scenes, she prioritizes time with clients and staff on the floor.

She believes strongly in making leadership visible and accessible. Clients are welcomed by name, not treated as numbers, and are encouraged to engage with management directly. Whether someone stops in to share feedback about a meal or needs emotional support during a difficult moment, Sarah’s open-door approach reinforces NERC’s commitment to individualized, respectful care.

She also strongly emphasizes integrating client feedback into programming, recognizing that the recovery experience is most effective when it reflects the voices and needs of those it serves.

Investing in Staff Growth

For Sarah, one of the most fulfilling aspects of her role is watching her team grow. From clinicians gaining confidence in their therapeutic approaches to case managers celebrating meaningful breakthroughs with clients, she sees staff development as vital to delivering excellent care. She creates an environment where staff are encouraged to lean into their strengths, seek support, and continue learning, all serving the larger mission of helping clients move forward in their recovery.

A Culture of Compassion and Accountability

In Sarah’s view, what sets NERC apart is the way the team blends clinical rigor with genuine compassion. The program emphasizes kindness, respect, and a nonjudgmental stance, meeting clients wherever they are in their recovery journey. Whether someone is entering treatment for the first time or returning after many attempts, they are welcomed with dignity and treated as individuals, not defined by their substance misuse.

That ethos is deeply personal for Sarah. Having supported family members through treatment and recovery, she understands the pain and the hope that defines the recovery experience. These moments have shaped her belief that recovery is driven by access to compassionate, structured, and human-centered care.

Supporting the Whole Recovery Journey

Sarah encourages anyone considering treatment to view it as an opportunity to learn, even if success doesn’t happen immediately. She understands that progress can take many forms and that each attempt at recovery offers new insights, tools, and chances for change.

For loved ones supporting someone in treatment, she emphasizes the importance of healthy boundaries, education, and self-care. The recovery process affects entire families, and sustaining hope requires empathy and resilience.

Building a Place That Feels Like Home

Under Sarah’s leadership, NERC continues to be where people feel seen, supported, and safe. She is committed to creating an environment that reflects the kind of care she would want for her family, where everyone is treated with respect, given space to grow, and reminded that change is possible.

Through her balanced leadership and unwavering belief in the potential of every individual, Sarah Stewart helps ensure that NERC remains a place where recovery can begin.

If you or a loved one are struggling with addiction or co-occurring disorders, call the New England Recovery Center today at 1-877-MyRehab.