In my thirty-years of social work practice I have developed a broad base of experience which has bolstered my inherent belief in people’s capacity for resiliency and change. I choose to maintain a generalist practice; which dovetails with my philosophy of inclusiveness, working to understand and move forward from difficult situations. Within this broad swath of possibilities, I specialize in play therapy; working with children and parents; chemical dependency; codependency; anxiety and depression.
I have worked in a variety of settings which has helped me view both specific and universal problems from multiple vantage points. My work settings have included: youth service centers; mental health organizations; community college; elementary schools; hospitals; and home visitations. I have had the opportunity to work with teen-parents; at-risk parents; children; adolescents; families; court-mandated DUII clients; addicted clients and their families; and sexual and domestic abuse survivors. I am experienced working with a diverse population in regard to age; socioeconomic background; race; culture; religious or spiritual backgrounds; sexual identity and orientation; beliefs; and, nationality.
Educational Background
B.S. – University of Oregon, 1982
- Community Service and Public Administration/Social Work emphasis
M.S.W. – Portland State University, 1986
Professional Experience
Private Practice: Janet Barlow, LCSW
- Solo Practitioner: 1995 – 2010
North Portland and East County Youth Service Centers 1985-1988
Clackamas County Mental Health Clinic 1989 – 1995
- Mental Health Specialist II
- Facilitating state-mandated alcohol and drug education courses; treatment groups; and individual counseling in the alcohol and drug program.
Kaiser Permanente: 1994
- Teaching smoking cessation courses.
Portland Community College, Women’s Resource Center, Project Independence 1995 – 1998
- Private contractor providing counseling services to women in a credited, self-sufficiency program who were experiencing emotional and situational issues which were standing in the way of their goal of self-sufficiency.
Lutheran Family Services Project Network and Hopespring Program 1998
- Providing in-home, counseling services to low-income women with children who were living in a structured environment having recently completed alcohol and drug treatment or domestic violence treatment. At Project Network I provided services to first-time, at-risk parents in Washington County. Work included: home visitations providing education about child development, quarterly assessments of developmental progress, emotional support, resource provision, and parenting support groups.
Western Psychological Counseling Services: 1999 – 2001
- Individual and couple’s counseling with a wide range of clientele.
- Providing family counseling, adult and youth counseling. Facilitating Mother’s support groups and Teen Parent Group.
Parrot Creek Child and Family Services: 2001-2002
- Parent education groups; gender-specific, skill-building groups for third-through-twelfth-grade in Clackamas County, provided within the school environment.
North Clackamas School District: 2002 – 2008
- Elementary school counselor, grades K-6, Ardenwald Elementary School
Attendance Counselor: Lot Whitcomb Elementary School. Working with families of children who had a history of poor attendance and providing support to remove obstacles to attending school.
Teaching Experience
- Parenting Classes: Active Parenting, First-time parents; Teen Parents; Mother’s Support Groups
- Alcohol and drug courses; state DUII curriculum
- Smoking cessation: Kaiser Permanente
- Child Development: Northwest Nannies
- Skill Building/Safety Curriculum/Steps to Respect/Problem-solving: Elementary School
Continuing Education
- Emphasis on PTSD, trauma, play therapy, child abuse, cognitive behavioral therapy techniques for anxiety/depression, addictions training, ethics, and the therapeutic relationship.
- Two-terms Spanish, PCC; using children’s literature and adolescent literature for therapy; art therapy; interventions for special needs children; working with difficult children.
Organizations
- Pacific Northwest Providers
- Portland Therapy Network
- Psychology Today
- National Association of Social Workers
