Ruqiya "Kawa" Barreh, LMSW

Background and Experience
Kawa has worked with children, adolescents, and adults in a wide variety of settings. Kawa’s clinical experience developed while working with the Social Emotional Wellness Initiative (SEWI) in Los Angeles, the Plano Independent School District (Plano ISD), and the International Rescue Committee of Dallas. These clinical internships  offered Kawa the opportunity to work with  individuals struggling with depression, anxiety, PTSD, exposure to trauma (acute and chronic), grief, self-harm, co-occurring disorders, and stress associated with marginalization. While working with refugee and asylum-seeking clients at IRC, Kawa developed an understanding of how sociocultural factors impact one’s mental wellbeing and now works to incorporate elements of social justice and cultural humility within the therapeutic relationship. Kawa primarily uses a client-centered, strengths-based, trauma-informed approach to therapy and makes autonomy and joy cornerstones of the experience. Kawa especially has a soft spot for work with BIPOC queer and trans youth. 

Personal Statement
Ruqiya “Kawa” Barreh enjoys working with children, adolescents, young adults, and couples. Kawa also has previous experience working within schools in the DFW area and Los Angeles as well as within nonprofit settings centering on immigrant and refugee support. Kawa has experience helping clients navigate areas such as: life transitions, depression/anxiety, trauma (acute and complex), ADHD/Autism/other neurodiverse conditions, LGBTQ+ specific circumstances, etc. Kawa works with clients to develop an individualized treatment plan that best addresses their needs and goals.

My clinical approach is rooted in the tenets of liberation psychology and draws on techniques from modalities such as Narrative Therapy, Dialectical Behavioral Therapy (DBT), and Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT). My mission is to cultivate spaces of joy, creativity, and exploration for my clients through storytelling and curiosity. I believe that community is a cornerstone of healing and that fostering community requires moving beyond simply access and inclusion into desire. Laughter and play are also central to my counseling philosophy. I’m committed to continuing my learning journey to provide the best care possible for my clients.

Education and Training
Kawa has a Bachelor’s of Science in Psychology with Major Honors from the University of Texas at Dallas in Richardson, Texas and a Master’s of Social Work degree from Smith College School of Social Work in Northampton, Massachusetts.

Schedule
Kawa is in the office Mondays, Wednesdays, Thursdays, and Fridays

Fees
Session fees start at $75

Insurance

Kawa accepts Aetna, Centerstone, ChampVA, and Cigna and can submit claims as an out-of-network provider with United Healthcare

License #: 114724

To schedule with Kawa or any of our other therapists, call us today at 469-342-3468!