Who is Kara Barker?

I have very loving and supporting parents who taught me from a young age that I could achieve anything I put my mind to. I have a brother who is two years younger than I am. We were very close growing up and we still are.

I am happy being with my family, spending time with our animals and in nature. I love my family and the freedom that we have for learning. I love living on a farm and the responsibility and freedom that comes from it. I love reading, travelling and learning. I am also very interested in psychology, body language, esoteric studies, energy healing, aromatherapy and photography.

I was home schooled because my mum wanted to make sure that I had a good grounding in Maths and English before I went to school. Then she figured out that my brother and I were dyslexic, she found out through her observations, researching in books and internet searches, finally having us tested. I went to school when I was eight and stayed there for two years. At the end of the two years I asked to come back home. When I was in the class room all I wanted to do was learn but not all the kids wished to and it made for a difficult learning environment. I found noise also difficult in the classroom. I found school crushed my creativity and self confidence. I wanted to learn and knew that it would be more productive for me to stay home in an environment where I could learn.

I loved home schooling because it has given me the freedom to learn at my pace and make sure I fully understand what I am learning before moving on to the next thing or lesson. It has also helped that most of my books cater to my learning style. Everyone has a different learning style and if you are in a place that teaches using your learning style you gain the ability to learn faster and remember it easier.

I could see how lucky I was that my parents supported me and I could imagine how without their help and research how much harder my life would be. For example, when I was little I loved having books read to me but soon as mum or dad would ask me to read I would refuse and throw a tantrum. I would also get very frustrated with writing. I found reading really hard and couldn’t understand it or how to do it. So when I was eight someone came down from Sydney and stayed with us for a week to work with me using the Davis Dyslexia Program. (I was in school part time at the time.) During that week, I went from very basic books to Harry Potter in one week. (Dad had been reading it to me so when asked what book would I like to be able to read on my own, what it would be. I answered Harry Potter.) The teacher couldn’t understand how it happened. I wanted to be able to give that freedom that I felt then to others.

It may seem silly to some but I see learning to read as one of my biggest and greatest achievements. I see passing my Practitioner training at 14 Years old, attending with University graduates, doctors, psychologists, teachers…,as a big achievement and also receiving the National Leo Public Speaking award in 2011.

I am a qualified Master Practitioner in NLP coaching, NLP, TLT and Hypnosis. I am also a Trainer in NLP and Time Line Therapy. I became a coach because it seemed the best way to help people. I have worked through my stuff (issues, stressors & problems) with my parents, mostly my dad. Through dad’s coaching and my training I have worked on not feeling worthy, my sport, fears and stressing about my spelling. Through my parents’ coaching and support I handled my dad’s cancer diagnosis and my grandparent’s diagnosis of Huntington’s disease fine. I was a little bit worried but I trusted my parents and because they didn’t seem too worried and I saw the results that were produced from working on self, I was happy. Working with clients and seeing their changes continues to inspire my passion for helping others, particularly, children, youth and women my areas of interest.

Over the last three years, I have continued studying, learning and working on the farm. I have my own small business enterprise rearing pigs. In November 2011, I had the opportunity to sail on the Young Endeavour from Melbourne to Hobart and in November and December 2012; I went travelling by myself for 6 weeks in Europe and Canada, visiting 5 countries in those 6 weeks. I am also about to travel once again on the Young Endeavour, as a returnee, in the Tall Ship Race, Sydney to Auckland Regatta, which is commemorating the first Royal Australian Navy Fleet into Sydney Harbour. I have also been involved in basketball as a player, coach ref… And LEOS in various roles, e.g. president. I am presently enjoying Rhee Tae Kwon-do, currently just attained a Third Kup.

In the next three years, I want to help people have the emotional freedom and confidence in their life to reach their goals and dreams while also fulfilling my own potential and dreams. I would like to know that I helped people to reach peace with themselves and emotional freedom, knowing that they can do anything that they put their mind to.
I would also like to do some more travelling around the world, working and living, while continuing to learn. I wish to always be learning new things and improving my knowledge of the things that I have already learnt through reading, courses and life experience.

My mum inspires me, without her encouragement I wouldn’t have done half the things that I have done. She symbolises to me what Magic Johnson (Professional Basketball) said “All kids need is a little help, a little hope and somebody who believes in them.” and coaching gives me the opportunity to support and help others.