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Tate Barkley is a speaker, author, educator, and a 30-year practicing litigation attorney. For years he lived a life of shame because of his poverty, of alcoholism, and drug addiction, and, being a closeted gay man. His 25+ year recovery journey has compelled him to write and speak on the themes of recovery and resilience, releasing shame, self-acceptance, and mental wellness, as well as personal integrity and ethics. In his keynotes, he shares his own stories as a victim of shame and a recovering alcoholic, while leading audiences through his research-based, five-step HEALSTM process that helps people develop humility, recover their innate resilience, and achieve authentic empowerment.
His memoir, Sunday Dinners, Moonshine, and Men, published in September 2023, recounts Tate’s troubled relationship with his father and his journey to overcome his shame and the scarcity mindset that fueled his addictions and blocked his ability to find peace in his life. Tate offers readers a deeply personal account of his dysfunctional childhood, from the backwoods of North Carolina, to his family’s struggles with poverty in Central Florida, and their ultimate move to the boomtown of 1970s Houston, Texas.
He details his attempts to control his escalating drinking and repress his sexuality as he became a successful attorney, only to hit rock bottom and lose it all. Tate’s story will resonate with readers as they follow his quest to accept himself and find peace.
Tate has shared his story with Regional and National-level, including the National Association of Tax Professionals, the Western Division of the U.S. Forest Service, the Texas Opioid Treatment Alliance, the Tax Assessor Collectors Association of Texas, and the Texas Bar Association Lawyers’ Assistance Program. He has also served on the Board of the Fort Bend Council on Substance Abuse.
Tate resides in Houston, Texas with his husband of six years, Anson, and their dog, Emerson.
Restore Resiliency and
Personal Empowerment
My talks are based on true stories from my experiences as an alcoholic and a victim of childhood trauma. In the years since I entered recovery I have done extensive research on how childhood trauma impacts us as adults. From this research, I developed a five-step process that teaches people how to shed the shame they are living with and restore their innate resilience. My message can be adapted for a variety of audiences including treatment professionals and counselors, human resources personnel, social workers, as well as individuals on their own recovery journeys.
Visit my meeting planners page to see videos and learn more about my topics.
