Smiling woman with short hair, wearing a dark jacket and a purple scarf, standing outdoors in a landscape with colorful bushes, hills, and cloudy sky.

Whitney Barrell, LCSW

I chose a career in social work because I believe in the social justice principles that guide it. Our choices, moods, and behaviors are shaped by the systems, families, and cultures we live within. My interventions are grounded in intersectionality and feminism. I draw inspiration from Pema Chödrön, Mary Oliver, Daniel Siegel, bell hooks—and Millcreek Canyon.

Education & Training /
Areas of Interest & Study

  • Master of Social Work, University of Utah

  • Bachelor of Psychology, Sonoma State University

  • Level One Theraplay – Marshak Intervention Method (attachment-based play therapy)

  • EMDR

  • Mind-Body Bridging

  • Internal Family Systems (IFS)

  • Play Therapy

  • LGBTQIA2S+ Ally – Gender-Affirming Care

  • Twice-Exceptional (2e) Children & Adults

Professional Activities & Affiliations

  • Guest Lecturer, Westminster College

  • Volunteer, Circles SLC (Policy Team)

  • Former Clinical Director, Utah Infertility Resource Center

  • Former Crisis Worker, University of Utah Medical Center

  • Member, Utah Association of Play Therapy

  • Member, National Association of Social Workers (NASW)

  • Member, American Society of Reproductive Medicine – Mental Health Professional Group

  • Past Board Member, United for Adoption

  • Former Clinical Supervisor, Cancer Wellness House

  • Former Policy Advocate addressing health care disparities in Utah

  • Contributor, KSL (Topics: play therapy, parenting, infertility)

About Me:

In my work with children and families, I lead from an attachment-based and interpersonal neurobiology lens. When we meet, I’ll gather information about a parent’s own history and how it may be impacting current functioning. We’ll talk about your child’s temperament, the moments you feel most connected, and the times when you feel like you want to throw in the towel. I know that the best outcomes happen through collaboration, so I work with both your child and with you.

In my work with adults, I look forward to exploring meaning, personal relationships, and habits you’d like to address. I especially enjoy working with individuals who are in the process of undoing—deconstructing previously held values or beliefs about themselves or their relationships.

I tend to focus on somatic experience. Of course, I want to hear your thoughts, but I’m also deeply interested in what’s happening in your body, and how we can work with what’s underneath the surface.

Before starting my own practice, I worked in community mental health with children and families—many of whom were navigating intergenerational poverty, abuse, and mental illness. Over the course of my career, I’ve also worked with refugees, individuals with chronic illness, children in foster care, and adults with serious and persistent mental health diagnoses.

In addition, I bring both personal and clinical experience in supporting those facing infertility, building families through adoption, or exploring third-party reproductive options.

It’s an incredible honor to witness my clients face vulnerability and work to make sense of it. I’d be honored to join you on your own journey.