Claire Barkley M.A., LMFT

Claire Barkley

I grew up in Palo Alto, attending Castilleja School for middle and High School. I received my B.A. in Psychology in 1997 from UC San Diego where I also played lacrosse and worked in the athletic training room. Like many mental health professionals, I almost “did” something else. With the goal of going to Physical Therapy school, I volunteered in the inpatient P.T. department at Packard Children’s Hospital at Stanford. The strength and resiliency I saw in these families really inspired me, and my professional interest shifted to mental health.

In 2000 I began my Master’s in Counseling Psychology at The University of San Francisco. Ironically, the satellite campus I attended is less than a mile from BACA! I chose internship placements that would develop my therapeutic skills working with children, teens and their families within a community setting. I worked in 6 local schools and an outpatient clinic providing free and low-fee counseling services.

After receiving my MFT license in 2005, I worked at Los Gatos and Saratoga High Schools as the special education therapist, as well as continuing at Loma Prieta Elementary and CT English Middle School as the school counselor. I also maintained a private practice in Los Gatos, which is how I met Tom. It was refreshing to collaborate with a psychiatrist who has such a profound respect for and understanding of evidence-based therapy.

Professionally, my training and interests include child and adolescent anxiety and depression, play therapy, and parent training and consultation.

My son was born in 2008 and my daughter in 2010, and I strive to communicate and parent the way I coach my families to do. It’s hard work! I live in Santa Cruz and in my free time enjoy gardening, cooking, and exploring the coast with my husband and kids.

During my tenure working in schools, I saw over and over the importance of parent involvement in their child’s therapy, the satisfaction of being part of a multidisciplinary team, and the lack of quality, affordable mental health care for children and families. BACA fills this need in the community and I am very honored and excited to be a part of this group.