Angel Barraza, MSW, LSW

BIO

My name is Angel Barraza, I’m a licensed social worker and therapist. I have experience working with adjustment disorders, anxiety, attention deficit (ADHD), autism spectrum, adolescents, depression, developmental disorders, dissociative disorders, substance use disorders, BIPOC populations and LGBTQIAP+ populations. I specialize in discussing the intersection of race, gender, and sexuality with other parts of life. 

Therapy with me is ideal for clients who are interested in developing self-awareness and coping skills and generalizing those skills across environments. Tools like self-reevaluation, consciousness raising and environmental reevaluation go a long way to help understand why particular situations are upsetting. Processing on how to intervene on your own behalf can mean all the difference in difficult times. My work with you is to develop an understanding of yourself as an agent in your environment by processing difficult situations and then working together to build the relevant coping skills needed to handle anticipated stress.

In therapy, I adopt a trauma-informed, relationship-based, and restorative justice approach. This means I consider your past experiences, prioritize building a meaningful connection with you, and view disruptive behaviors as signals of unmet needs and opportunities for personal growth. I am trained in Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing (EMDR), Level 1 Gottman Method for couples work, and Internal Family Systems (IFS) therapy. Together, we can work to accept reality on reality’s terms and untangle worries that can feel overwhelming to do alone. We can work in a way that finds comfort in your natural strength in order to help you sit in your own genius and power. By leveraging your inherent power, we can cultivate resilience, achieve a balance between responsibilities, self-care, and personal fulfillment, and empower you to make meaningful changes in your life.

I earned my B.S. in Applied Health Science, studying Human Development and Family Studies at Indiana University Bloomington in 2018 and earned my Master of Social Work focusing on Mental Health and Addictions at Indiana University in Indianapolis, IN in 2023. My professional background since 2013 is in supporting teens and adults through making life transitions and strategizing to utilize the resources around them to overcome daily challenges, decrease stress, and increase joy and euphoria.