Sara Z. Barakzai
Irvine,CA
Summary
To obtain a position LPCC, provide strong clinical support the opportunity for personal growth.
Compassionate and experienced mental health professional with a strong background in Substance Use Addiction, Mental Health, and Family Relations. I have a commitment to providing client-centered care. Passionate host process groups, DBT, CBT, Life Skills, and Music. I am a dedicated clinician fostering a supportive and therapeutic environment for clients.
Overview
11
11
years of professional experience
Work History
Associate Professional Clinical Counselor
Dream Recovery
02.2021 - 03.2024
- Treatment Center. Compassionate and experienced mental health professional with a strong background in Substance Use Addiction, Mental Health, and Family Relations. I have a commitment to providing client-centered care. Passionate host process groups, DBT, CBT, Life Skills, and Music. I am a dedicated clinician fostering a supportive and therapeutic environment for clients.
Therapist
Private Practice
02.2021 - 03.2024
- Integrated Psychiatric Mental Health. A highly skilled, compassionate, empathetic, and solutions-oriented medical professional dedicated to providing exceptional care and implementing effective treatment plans for children, adolescents, and adults experiencing or exposed to drug and alcohol abuse. Excellent track record, successful working with diverse population in one-on-one and group settings. Effective motivator, communicator, and advocate with inherent ability to manage all types of personalities, diffuse stressful situations, proactively resolve issues, and meet and achieve challenging goals and objectives.
Associate Professional Clinical Counselor, (APCC)
Stepping Forward Counseling Center
02.2021 - 12.2021
- Provide individual therapy to clients diagnosed with a variety of presenting problems including Generalized Anxiety Disorder, Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder, Depression, Oppositional Defiant Disorder, OCD.
- Co-facilitate parenting classes applying dialectical behavior therapy and anger management groups to psychoeducation and increase insight into maladaptive coping mechanisms.
- Intensive Outpatient: Facilitate group therapy, mindfulness, art therapy, distress tolerance, social interpersonal skills and skills generalization.
- Maintain progress notes for all clients to ensure proper documentation of session content and intervention.
- Processed behavior therapy interventions with children ages 4-10, teens, adults and seniors with severe emotional disturbance to foster self-awareness.
- Developed safety plans, and contracted for safety
- Attended clients IEP, school observations, and 504 meetings at school to help families advocate the best outcomes for their kids learning.
- Connected families with community resources and services that were responsive to their needs.
Associate Therapist, APCC
Southcoast Behavioral Health
08.2020 - 01.2021
- Cultivating clients diagnosis with addictive disease disorders by increasing their skills, exploring and recognizing their talents, building self-esteem leading to interpersonal growth and confidence during treatment for all levels of care by providing substance abuse education/treatment.
- Maintaining 10-14 individual client caseload
- Utilization Reviews
- Completed required daily documentation efficiently and on time including co-occurring treatment, reviewing biopsychosocial ASAM certification forms weekly summaries and complete discharge documentation as needed.
- Facilitated groups, psychoeducation, individual sessions implementing behavior management systems and conducting crisis intervention counseling as necessary.
- Therapist providing care for to patients for all level of care, Detox, Residential, and Sober living.
- Assisting in implementing programs to improve patient retention and patient success in treatment
Veterinary Technician
Laguna Beach Animal Hospital
07.2016 - 03.2020
- Develop treatment plans with Veterinarians
- Front office, customer service
- Assisted in surgery’s and other procedures
- Placed I.V. catheters, blood draws, gave injections
Intern/Trainee
Hill Side Laguna
03.2019 - 05.2019
- Provide individual therapy to clients diagnosed with variety of presenting problems including Schizophrenia, Bipolar Disorder, Generalized Anxiety Disorder, and PTSD.
- Facilitated psycho-education groups anger management, domestic violence, TED talk and increase insight into maladaptive coping mechanisms.
- Maintained progress notes for all clients to ensure proper documentation of session content and intervention.
- Collaborated amongst clinicians and doctors to ensure best treatment planning for all patients.
- Coordinated activities, AA meetings.
Caregiver
Luxor Senior Living
01.2015 - 12.2016
- Worked part-time with a special needs child who had down syndrome.
- Caregiver at Luxor Senior Living, provided caregiver and emotional support for elderly diagnosed with Depression, dementia, Alzheimer’s.
Therapy With Sara
Therapy With Sara
06.2025 - Current
- Self-motivated, with a strong sense of personal responsibility.
- Worked effectively in fast-paced environments.
- Skilled at working independently and collaboratively in a team environment.
- Proven ability to learn quickly and adapt to new situations.
- Worked flexible hours across night, weekend, and holiday shifts.
- Learned and adapted quickly to new technology and software applications.
- Developed and maintained courteous and effective working relationships.
- Demonstrated strong organizational and time management skills while managing multiple projects.
Therapist
Pacific Education Services (PES)
08.2025 - Current
- Provided therapeutic interventions using cognitive-behavioral techniques to enhance client coping skills.
- Conducted comprehensive assessments to identify clients' needs and develop tailored treatment plans.
- Facilitated individual and group therapy sessions, fostering a supportive environment for personal growth.
- Collaborated with multidisciplinary teams to ensure holistic care for clients across various mental health issues.
- Conduct consultations with case managers to help determine clients Level of Care , and provide diagnosis.
- Case-Formulation: Applying. ASAM dimension write up case formulations for every in take.
- Manage a full case load of clients for weekly therapy sessions.
Education
Doctoral Marriage and Family Therapy -
National University
11-2027
Certified Yoga Instructor 200-Hour Teacher Training -
M.A. - Professional counseling emphasis in marriage and family therapy
Grand Canyon University
01.2020
B.A. - Sociology
Cal State University of Fullerton
05.2016
Skills
- Teaching life skills
- Client-centered care
- Substance abuse treatment
- Crisis intervention
- Group therapy facilitation
- Psychoeducation techniques
- Integrated treatment for co-occurring disorders
Languages
Fluent Dari
Fluent Pashto
Conversational Hindi
Conversational Spanish
Personal Information
- Title: LPCC
- ID Type: LPCC
- ID Number: 19615
Timeline
Therapist
Pacific Education Services (PES)
08.2025 - Current
Therapy With Sara
Therapy With Sara
06.2025 - Current
Associate Professional Clinical Counselor
Dream Recovery
02.2021 - 03.2024
Therapist
Private Practice
02.2021 - 03.2024
Associate Professional Clinical Counselor, (APCC)
Stepping Forward Counseling Center
02.2021 - 12.2021
Associate Therapist, APCC
Southcoast Behavioral Health
08.2020 - 01.2021
Intern/Trainee
Hill Side Laguna
03.2019 - 05.2019
Veterinary Technician
Laguna Beach Animal Hospital
07.2016 - 03.2020
Caregiver
Luxor Senior Living
01.2015 - 12.2016
M.A. - Professional counseling emphasis in marriage and family therapy
Grand Canyon University
B.A. - Sociology
Cal State University of Fullerton
Doctoral Marriage and Family Therapy -
National University