- communication problems
- blended family issues
- mindfulness methods
About Barbara
Barbara Wahler is an LCSW (Licensed Clinical Social Worker) based in Illinois with 31 years of experience. She works with adults on relationship and family concerns, including blended family issues and challenges around identity, parenting, and communication.
She helps people untangle what gets in the way of connecting with a partner, a child, or a coworker. Common topics she addresses include LGBTQ concerns, self-esteem, grief, addictions, and coping with life changes. She also supports people navigating midlife questions, money stress, and issues around sexuality and body image.
Barbara uses practical, relationship-focused methods. Sessions center on listening, reflecting, and trying small changes that shift patterns. She draws on client-centered work, mindfulness, solution-focused techniques, and ideas from Internal Family Systems to map how thoughts, emotions, and relationships interact.
Her background includes a Master of Social Work from Loyola University Chicago and decades helping adults reconnect and open communication in strained relationships. She notes experience with multicultural and mixed-race blended family dynamics and with people facing prejudice and discrimination.
In sessions she may use movement, drawing, music, or conversation to help people express difficult material and try new ways of relating. Care is collaborative - goals and approaches are chosen together so each person can take practical next steps toward clearer relationships and steadier daily life.
How her approaches translate to online work
Barbara blends client-centered listening with mindfulness and solution-focused techniques to address relationship strain and everyday problems. Client-centered therapy focuses on understanding each person's perspective and helping them be heard. It is useful for improving communication and working through loyalty or identity questions. Mindfulness therapy teaches simple attention and grounding practices to reduce reactivity and manage stress. It can help when emotions feel overwhelming or when coping with life changes. Solution-focused therapy concentrates on small, practical steps and clear goals to change interaction patterns and solve specific problems.Finding the right mix of approaches is part of the work. She will collaborate with each person to decide which methods to try based on the client's goals and preferences. That collaborative process helps set realistic, short-term steps and adjust methods over time if something isn't working.
The biography does not list specific session formats, so confirm available options before booking. Online work can make it easier to fit therapy into a busy schedule, allow for shorter check-ins when needed, and remove travel time. Many people find it helpful to use sessions for focused communication skills, planning practical steps for blended household routines, or practicing mindfulness between meetings.
Areas of expertise
Primary focus
Also works with
Additional focus areas
Therapeutic approaches
Experience
31+ years
Listed in
Illinois
Languages
English
Frequently asked questions
What relationship and family concerns does she address?
She works with adults around relationship strain, parenting challenges, blended family issues, LGBTQ matters, self-esteem, grief, addictions, and related concerns.
What is her therapeutic style like?
She practices client-centered work with mindfulness and solution-focused techniques, using a relational, practical approach during sessions.
How much experience does she have?
She has 31 years of clinical experience and a Master of Social Work from Loyola University Chicago.
What are her credentials and where is she based?
She is an LCSW licensed in Illinois and provides services from that state.
Does she see people who live outside the United States?
Sessions are offered in English and she does accept international clients.
What session formats are offered?
The original biography does not list specific session formats; confirm current session options before booking.
How much do sessions cost?
Cost varies with location and sessions use a subscription model that can be canceled at any time.
How do I begin working with her?
Use the See online therapy options button, complete a short matching questionnaire, and 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.