A memory diagnosis rarely lands on just one person. It lands on the whole family — the spouse who now double-checks the stove, the daughter who starts calling more often, the patient who's scared but doesn't always say so. At GWCIM, that's where Sally Novak comes in.
Sally is a licensed clinical social worker (LCSW-C) and doctor of Oriental medicine (DOM), with an integrative, trauma-informed approach to psychotherapy. She's spent more than 20 years in mental health care, and these days a good part of her work centers on something she cares about deeply: helping people navigate cognitive decline, and helping the people who love them do the same.
Sally is a key provider in GWCIM's ReCODE program, the center's integrative protocol for patients facing mild cognitive impairment and early Alzheimer's risk. Within ReCODE, she offers one-on-one psychotherapy and leads a weekly support group that brings together individuals with cognitive decline and their care partners in the same room. That structure matters more than people expect — caregiving for someone with memory loss is exhausting in ways that are hard to explain to anyone who hasn't lived it, and Sally makes sure everyone in the room, patient and caregiver alike, has a place to say the hard things out loud.
Sally works from a strengths-based philosophy, looking for what's already working in a person and building from there. As Sally puts it, "I'm not here to fix you, because you are not broken. I'm just here to help you turn the light on so you can more clearly see the way forward." That idea shapes everything she does, whether she's sitting with someone freshly diagnosed or with a spouse who's been caregiving for years and is running on empty.
What sets Sally apart is the range she brings to the room. She blends traditional psychotherapy — including Internal Family Systems and EMDR — with somatic and polyvagal-informed work, so care can meet a person where they actually are, not just where a textbook says they should be. For a condition as layered as memory loss, one that touches the brain, the body, and the family all at once, that kind of flexibility isn't a bonus. That's the whole point.
The ReCODE support group meets every Tuesday from 5:30 to 6:30 pm, online, and it's open to anyone in the early stages of Alzheimer's and their caregivers, whether or not they're enrolled in GWCIM's ReCODE program. Each session mixes real education about the latest thinking on Alzheimer's care with open discussion and practical tools, led by Sally herself, with occasional guest experts from the GWCIM team. Sally also facilitates a monthly Caregiver/Care Partner Support Group, a dedicated space for caregivers to connect with one another.
If you or someone you love is noticing memory changes, or if you're the one holding things together at home, you don't have to figure it out by yourself. Reach out to GWCIM to learn more about the ReCODE program, the support groups, or scheduling time with Sally directly. Call 202-833-5055 or email info@gwcim.com.
