I'm Sarah Barboza, LCSW

I’m a licensed clinical social worker in California, and I work with adults and couples who are navigating change, relationships, grief, medical challenges, and the many complicated seasons of life.

I believe therapy should feel like a place where you can be honest. You don't have to have the right words. You don't have to make your situation sound better than it feels. You can show up exactly as you are.

WHY I BECAME A THERAPIST

Slowing down to move forward

Life can get very full, very quickly. Work. Family. Relationships. Health. Caregiving. The constant list of things that need your attention.

Sometimes you can keep going for a long time before realizing you're overwhelmed, disconnected, or unsure of what you actually want.

Therapy gives you a chance to slow down and pay attention to what's happening underneath all of that. Together, we'll look at the patterns that keep showing up, what matters most to you, and what you want to do differently.

My approach is warm, collaborative, non-judgmental, trauma-informed, culturally responsive, and LGBTQIA+ affirming. I work with adults of all backgrounds, ages, identities, abilities, body sizes, races, ethnicities, spiritual beliefs, religions, sexual orientations, and genders.

“When we are no longer able to change a situation, we are challenged to change ourselves.” – Dr. Viktor E. Frankl

Schedule a consult

A Little More About Me

When I’m not working, I’m usually spending time with my spouse, trying a new restaurant, exploring somewhere I haven’t been before, or making time for a good workout.

I was born in California and grew up with a dynamic heritage background. My father is Japanese and my mother is German and Irish, so I was exposed to both Catholicism and Buddhism growing up. Being biracial has brought a richness to my life that I’m deeply grateful for, while also bringing its own challenges. I know what it feels like to wrestle with questions of identity, belonging, and the feeling that you don’t quite look or feel like what others expect you to be.

Those experiences have shaped how I see people and the stories they carry. They’ve taught me to be curious about what makes each person who they are, including the parts of themselves they may still be learning to understand.

A unique background in medical social work

Much of my career was spent as a medical social worker in hospital and healthcare settings. For nearly 20 years, I’ve worked alongside people and families facing new diagnoses, serious illness, treatment decisions, caregiving, grief, and uncertainty.

That experience continues to shape how I practice today.

I understand that a medical diagnosis doesn't stay neatly contained in a medical chart. It can change your relationships, your work, your finances, your identity, and the future you thought you were going to have. Caregiving can bring its own complicated mix of love, exhaustion, anger, guilt, and family dynamics.

I also understand the healthcare system and the practical side of navigating it. When appropriate, I can help you identify resources and think through what comes next.

My Approach to Therapy

I promise you that therapy is not supposed to be just you talking and me nodding along.

In therapy with me, I'll listen closely, ask questions, and help you notice patterns that may be difficult to see on your own. We'll talk about what is happening now while also considering the experiences that may have shaped how you respond to relationships, stress, conflict, and change.

For some people, that means learning to set boundaries without feeling guilty. For others, it means understanding why they keep putting everyone else's needs ahead of their own, or learning how to make room for their own feelings without shutting someone else out.

With couples, I pay attention to the patterns between you and help you understand what is happening underneath the conflict so you can begin responding differently.

My work draws from approaches including Acceptance and Commitment Therapy, Motivational Interviewing, mindfulness and somatic practices, trauma-informed care, and the Gottman Method. I tailor our work to you rather than following a one-size-fits-all formula.

Life Transitions Therapy

Couples Therapy

Education & Training

I earned my Master’s Degree in Social Work from the University of Washington. My clinical training and continuing education include:

Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT)
Motivational Interviewing (MI)
Psychosocial Oncology
Palliative Care
Somatic and Mindfulness Practices
Hakomi Mindful Somatic Psychotherapy Workshop through the Hakomi Institute
Gottman Method Couples Therapy, Levels 1 and 2
Gottman Treating Affairs and Trauma

I’m a lifelong learner and value continuing to grow both personally and professionally. Here are some of the trainings I’m currently completing:

Psychobiological Approach to Couple Therapy (PACT), Level 1, currently in progress
IFS Online Circle Program through the IFS Institute, currently in progress

Taking the First Step

You don't need to know exactly what you need before you start therapy.

Maybe you know you're overwhelmed. Maybe you're tired of the same relationship pattern. Maybe something happened that changed everything. Or maybe you simply have a feeling that the way you're living isn't working anymore.

We can start there.

I take a limited amount of new clients per month. Reach out, and we’ll discuss availability.

My fee is $200 for a 60-minute session and $250 for a 75-minute session, which I recommend for couples. If you're looking for longer sessions, we can discuss availability and prorated fees together.

If you're ready to talk, I'd be honored to meet you.