ºÚÁÏÍø

My research interests include the integration of spirituality and faith and social work practice; and creating and maintaining diverse, equitable, and inclusive spaces for students, practitioners, and clients. My social work practice experience focused primarily on children and families including family preservation, parenting skill development, and adoption services.

I earned a Ph.D. in Social Welfare from the Mandel School of Applied Social Sciences at Case Western Reserve University, Cleveland, OH; an MSW from the University of Missouri, Columbia, MO; and a B.A. in Social Work from Eastern Nazarene College, Quincy, MA.

Having been a social work educator for more than 20 years, I have taught classes across the curriculum, with a focus on macro classes at the specialization level. At Messiah, I am teaching the Professional Seminar courses, Generalist Social Work Practice with Individuals, Generalist Social Work Practice with Groups, and a couple of electives.

I joined the Messiah community in August 2023 as the inaugural Master of Social Work (MSW) Program Director, having previously served for more than 20 years in two other faith-based colleges as a social work educator and administrator. Prior to that, I provided social work services to children and families in a variety of contexts, including a state child protection agency, a group home for pregnant and parenting teens and young adults, and an adoption agency. I am excited to be at the forefront of building a new program where I can combine my past experiences with the nuances of Messiah University to create an attractive professional social work program. I appreciate the opportunity to contribute to Messiah University as a fully remote faculty member. I am a member of the National Association of Social Workers (NASW), the Council on Social Work Education (CSWE), and the North American Association of Christians in Social Work (NACSW) where I serve on the editorial board of the Social Work and Christianity journal and where I have published several articles. My hobbies include reading (I enjoy historical fiction and mysteries), traveling, and musical theater. I am married to Jeff, who is an ordained minister in the Church of the Nazarene, and we have two adult daughters: Emily, who is married to Miguel, and Abigail, who is married to Douglas.

Publications (Peer-Reviewed)

Barker, S., Allen, D., Moreau, K., & Soverall, N. (2023). Social work student perceptions of racism, implicit bias, and other forms of discrimination: A racial justice climate survey. Social Work & Christianity, 50(1), 73-90. DOI: 10.3403/swc.v50i.308

Barker, S. L. (2022). Alive after academia: Post-career reflections of social work educators (Book Review). Social Work & Christianity, 49(2), 197–198. DOI: 10.34043/swc.v49i2.200. Link:

Barker, S. L. (2017). Connecting spirituality and social justice: Conceptualizations and applications in macro social work practice (Book Review). Social Work & Christianity, 44(3), 155-156.

Krentzman, A. R. & Barker, S. L. (2016) Counselors’ perspectives of positive psychology for the treatment of addiction. Alcoholism Treatment Quarterly, 34(4), 1-16. Link:

Barker, S. L. (2014). Reflected love: Companioning in the way of Jesus (Book Review). Social Work and Christianity, 41(4). 387.

Barker, S. L. (2013). A qualitative examination of the experiences of Christian students in social work educational programs. Social Work & Christianity, 40(1). 3-22.

Barker, S. L. (2012). Let the children come: Preparing faith communities to end child abuse and neglect (Book Review). Social Work & Christianity, 39(3), 353-354. 

Barker, S. L., & Floersch, J.E. (2010). Practitioners’ understandings of spirituality: Implications for social work education. Journal of Social Work Education, 46(3), 357-370.

Barker, S. L. (2007). Social work practice for social justice: cultural competence in action, a guide for students (Book Review). Social Work & Christianity, 34(3), 328-330. 

Barker, S. L. (2007). The integration of spirituality and religion content in social work education: Where we’ve been, where we’re going. Social Work & Christianity, 34(2), 146-166. 

 

Dissertation

Barker, S. L. (May 2008). How Social Work Practitioners Understand and Utilize Spirituality in the Practice Context. Submitted in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of Doctor of Philosophy. Dissertation Adviser: Dr. Jerry Floersch. Mandel School of Applied Social Sciences, Case Western Reserve University, Cleveland, OH. Link: