Dr. Sydney Spears’ Counseling and Consulting Work with Clients

I am Sydney Spears, Ph.D., LCSW, LSCSW, (pronouns: she, her, hers), a licensed clinical social worker in Kansas and Missouri since 2003 and a university social work educator since 1998. I have provided individual, couple and relational psychotherapy in the areas of grief/loss, chronic stress, childhood trauma/abuse, adult relationship trauma, and cultural identity issues for over 15 years. In addition I have been providing yoga for stress, trauma and anxiety as a certified trauma-sensitive facilitator and trained mindfulness instructor. I am very passionate about helping clients develop their insightful body-mind skills and work to develop greater healing and whole-person health in relation to themselves, intimate partners, and/or family. I deeply support my clients in using their strengths throughout the journey of healing. This process can be a gift for the self and a vital way of positively transforming yourself, relationships. Healthier family legacies for future generations within one’s family system, especially the youngest members can also be created. My style of counseling and consultation highlights the importance of whole-person wellness and therapy for middle age adults (40s, 50, & 60s). It is critical to manage certain middle-age challenges such as: chronic stress, relationship struggles, financial issues, breakups, life changes, divorce, separation, health challenges, aging issues, workplace stress, and loss. I believe the most significant problem in our world today is relational stress, conflict and violence. Improving human relationships can improve personal wellbeing and societal health.

I am a passionate social work advocate for women’s empowerment, anti-oppression, and men’s deeper understanding of relationship issues and family experiences. Also, I am an inclusive social worker who is highly sensitive to the realities and needs of both majority and diverse client identities such as: religious identity, grief survivorship, cultural issues, divorce survivorship, chronic illness survivorship, aging issues, couple/family conflict, cohabiting couples, dating struggles/relationships, empty nest issues, pre-retirement-new retiree issues, single parenting, adult child & parent issues, interracial relationships, ethnicity/racial identity, LGBTQIA+ issues, trauma/abuse survivorship, overwhelmed family caretaker, mental and physical ability issues, and workplace stress.

A critical part of my work with clients is to provide focused and ongoing education regarding one’s relationship to negative thoughts and chronic distress/pain by providing mindfulness skills that may decrease habitual BodyMind reactivity in order to calm and re-set one’s nervous system for optimal stress relief, coping, self-management, and wiser judgments. I am a trained teacher of Mindful-Self Compassion (MSC) andcompleted professional training in Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction (MBSR), as well as mindfulness in organizations. I also practice mindfulness to create inner peace.

Several clients have mentioned that I have worked with them in a highly compassionate and supportive, manner, while continually challenging them to experience the highest expression of themselves. I do work hard to understand the significant realities of my clients’ lives, strengths, and struggles in order to cultivate greater clarity for possible resolution of relational blockages and issues. My passion for social justice connects to my sincere sense of respect and validation toward my clients. My intention is for clients to feel and act more empowered to do the hard work of change and healing. Tapping into their own inner strengths to deconstruct non-functional relational habits, old identity stories, and reactions that are no longer serving them. This process has the potential of creating the necessary and transformative groundwork for true relational health and well-being—with more peace— when clients seriously participate in the work involved.