Sarah Barkley LCSW
Intentional Womaning
My Philosophy
After 20 years in private practice working with women in a clinical and coaching capacity, I am more and more convinced that the ripple effect of goodness that enters the world through an upright, embodied, emboldened (even if scared out of her wits) intentional woman is beyond comprehension.
I am committed to taking my 1000s of data points of what ultimately works, gleaned from the 1000s of women who have come before you, to ensure that the moment you enter my office or Zoom screen you are moving on your path with grace, integrity, solidity and as a result, less doubt.
I believe our future and that of those we care about is shaped by the gritty work we choose to do to become our version of an
Intentional Woman. We only have this time, no do-overs. The question is...what do you want to acknowledge, heal and create with the time you have left in this precious body and with your precious people?
Meet Me
Finding a therapist or a coach you feel a personal connection to and can meet your strategic and healing needs is a tall order. Reach out to me on my contact page and we can chat to ensure I am your woman.
1.
Individual Therapy
Social workers, of which I am proudly one, tend not to see "the person alone as the problem", but look at the whole system surrounding the client and how we can strategically alter certain aspects of the environment to encourage growth. I believe there is always untapped opportunity should my clients choose to take it, you just may need a fresh set of highly trained ears on it along side you.
Individual therapy is taking a peek in the crevices, in the spaces between our ribs to see what's been sitting there. We have the luxury to see which apps are constantly running in the back of our brains, draining our batteries and close them, integrating what we learned along the way.
Because self doubt fuels so much of what nags at us, I often infuse the concept of "plumbline" with my clients: identifying their values, morals and non-negotiables. Once we can put those into words we can feel more embodied and emboldened in our actions, feeling far less second guessing.
I treat women just starting their journey of who they are as young women to those well into their ender years, looking back at where they've come from and how they want to spend their future years.
2.
Path Forward Coaching
Coaching is this moment forward. While we don't ignore the past, we are looking at it in a more factual way, we are zooming out and acknowledging it vs zooming in and learning it as we do in traditional therapy. When you come to a place in your landscape where you have a goal and you're ready to jump in, coaching is a terrific option. It's directed, directive, it's measureable and it's hit the ground running!
Self doubt fuels so much of what nags at us, I often infuse the concept of "plumbline" with my clients: identifying their values, morals and non-negotiables. Once we can put those into words we can feel more embodied and emboldened in our actions, feeling far less second guessing.
3.
Intentional Relationships & Dating
The powerful and complicated nature of our relationships is what drives 90% of women to seek guidance. As relational creatures we are hard-wired to flourish through connection. At points in life, we get called upon to reassess, refurbish or redesign some of our relationships. This work is precious and sacred.
For those who are embarking on online dating, it can be a full-time job in itself. Depending on who you speak to, or what you Google, the world will tell you how to "play the game."
My questions are these: Wonder if you play it your way? What would that look like? When you've played the game, presenting yourself as extra casual, easy going and mellow, have you matched with could-be mates? Wonder if you said all the things that are true for you from the beginning? The processes is exhausting so let's conserve your energy so you don't have to take "dating breaks".
My goal for my clients looking to reassess their current personal relationship landscape as well as those navigating the dating world is that they discover who they truly are, what they want and promote themselves as such.
4.
Historic Wounds & EMDR Treatment
"Trauma" can often feel like an intimidating word. However, I define trauma as anything that changes the way we see ourselves as people or how we see the world around us. Traumas can be large or small, overt actions or messages, or subtly compounding events over years. We often discount smaller traumas or negative messages we were told about ourselves, but they impact our day to day approaches and reactions to daily life.
When our inside reality does not match our inside feelings, there is a good chance it's trauma.
EMDR (Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing) is a treatment modality that enables us to heal from the symptoms of troubling or traumatic life experiences. EMDR is one of the most proven therapeutic techniques
"As a licensed clinical psychologist, I give Sarah Barkley my strongest endorsement! I have referred many clients to her over the years and always hear excellent feedback. Sarah counsels in a relaxed atmosphere yet her extensive experience shines through, guiding clients to tap into their own insight. You’re lucky if you get on Sarah‘s schedule!"
L. T. PhD