Frances Barry
Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist (LMFT)
California #106509
I was born curious.
I still am.
Every session is an adventure of "whys"
The curious "why", never the judgy kind. I want to understand why your child thinks, feels, and behaves the way they do. That question has guided my whole life, not just my therapy practice.
My Curious Path to Child Psychotheraist
As a student who loved math, I earned three degrees in statistics
My first career was as a statistician researching the "why" behind marketing data.
B. Sc.
University College Cork Ireland
M.Sc.
Oxford University England
M.A.
Yale University
After twenty years, I was a corporate executive asking myself: what next
I launched my own therapeutic journey, This was the first step on my path to becoming a therapist.
M.A.
Antioch University
Why I Work With Kids
When I first started seeing clients over ten years ago, the sessions with children were the ones I looked forward to most. I loved their energy, curiosity, and directness.
Grief Support
Our House
Violet Oaklander
Child/Teen Therapy
Inner Kids
Family Mindfulness
I sought out mentorship from child therapists and pursued relevant training in addition to my degree and internships.
How I Connect With Kids
Children quickly realize that my enthusiasm for our sessions is real. They feel comfortable opening up when they know we're in this together.
It also helps that our interests often overlap. I've always loved fantasy and science fiction. It's rare a child and I don't find common ground.
"You know so much about Harry Potter!"
"No-one listens to me. Except you."
"You remembered."
Where I'm From
I'm Irish. I moved to the United States in my early twenties for graduate school.
I left behind the weather and most of my accent - but I've kept my love of green landscapes, music, writing, potatoes, and Irish dairy products.
That same sense of leaving something familiar to explore something unknown? I think it's part of what draws me to working with kids navigating their own uncharted territory.
