- Trauma work
- Blended family issues
- CBT and solution-focused
About Barbara
Barbara Defazzio is a Florida Licensed Mental Health Counselor (LMHC) with 40 years of professional experience. She has worked in private practice settings and with survivors of sexual and physical trauma, helping people manage stress, anxiety, grief, and major life changes.
She spent over 20 years in private practice in Massachusetts focused on treatment of sexual abuse. Since relocating to Florida she has continued working with people affected by sexual and physical trauma and with adults who spent time in the foster care system as children. Her background also includes post-adoption work addressing common adjustment challenges after adoption.
Clients come for help with family conflicts, blended household adjustments, attachment concerns, and caregiver stress. She also supports people dealing with shame, isolation, and the long-term effects of trauma such as post-traumatic stress. Sessions focus on practical steps people can try between meetings.
Her approach blends client-centered listening with active, goal-focused techniques. She uses elements of cognitive behavioral therapy to identify unhelpful thoughts and solution-focused strategies to set small, doable goals. Motivational interviewing helps when someone feels stuck and unsure about next steps.
Barbara frames work as a collaboration and aims to make each session straightforward. She encourages people to start by answering a brief matching questionnaire and scheduling an initial meeting to see how the approach fits their situation.
How therapeutic approaches translate to online work
Client-centered therapy focuses on listening and reflecting what matters to the person. Online sessions let the therapist hear the client’s concerns and shape the work around those priorities. Cognitive Behavioral Therapy helps people spot and change unhelpful thoughts and behaviors. In an online setting this often means identifying specific thoughts, trying brief experiments, and reviewing how changes felt between sessions. Trauma-Focused Therapy concentrates on understanding and processing the effects of traumatic events. Online sessions can be used to build coping skills, practice grounding techniques, and plan steps to address trauma-related symptoms.Finding the right mix of techniques is part of the work itself. The therapist and client will decide together which approaches to use based on goals, preferences, and how someone responds in early sessions. That collaborative process helps shape a plan that fits day-to-day life.
The original biography does not specify exact session formats, so confirm the available options before booking. Online sessions can make it easier to fit counseling into a busy schedule by removing travel time and by allowing meetings from different locations. Some people prefer shorter check-ins by phone when bandwidth or time is limited, while others choose full video sessions for more face-to-face interaction. These practical options can help therapy fit around work, caregiving, and everyday routines.
Areas of expertise
Primary focus
Additional focus areas
Therapeutic approaches
Experience
40+ years
Listed in
Florida
Languages
English
Frequently asked questions
What kinds of problems does she help with?
Barbara works with stress, anxiety, family conflict, trauma and abuse, grief, and coping with life changes. She also helps with attachment issues, caregiver stress, and blended family concerns.
What is her general approach in sessions?
She combines client-centered listening with practical methods such as cognitive behavioral therapy and solution-focused techniques. Sessions typically include discussion and concrete actions to try between meetings.
How much experience does she have?
She has 40 years of professional work experience, including more than 20 years in private practice in Massachusetts and continued clinical work since moving to Florida.
What credential does she hold and where is she based?
She is a Florida LMHC and practices from Florida while working with people in English.
Does she work with people who live outside the United States?
Sessions are offered in English and international clients are accepted.
What session formats are available?
The original biography does not list specific session formats. Please confirm current session options before booking.
How are fees handled?
Cost varies with location and sessions use a subscription model that can be canceled at any time. Exact pricing depends on where the client is located.
How do I begin if I want to work with her?
Start by selecting the See online therapy options button, complete a short matching questionnaire, and then schedule a first session.
Online talk therapy is for adults and is not emergency care, mediation or legal advice. If you or a child are in danger, use the emergency numbers. Find someone else by name.