- Trauma and PTSD
- Adoption and foster care
- Grief and loss
About Barbara
Barbara Defazzio is a Florida-licensed mental health counselor (LMHC) with 40 years of professional experience. She focuses on stress, anxiety, family issues, trauma and abuse, grief, and coping with life changes. Barbara has particular experience with sexual and physical trauma and with adoption and foster care histories.
She ran a private practice in Massachusetts for over 20 years where she worked extensively with people recovering from sexual abuse and related post-traumatic stress. After relocating to Florida she continued similar clinical work and has supported adults who experienced the foster care system as children.
Barbara helps people handle day-to-day anxiety and the strain of family conflict. She works with those facing loss and grief and with people adjusting to major life changes. She also helps with attachment concerns, abandonment issues, blended family challenges, and caregiver stress.
Her approach draws on client-centered methods alongside cognitive behavioral techniques and trauma-focused work. She uses solution-focused ideas and motivational interviewing when helpful to set concrete goals and encourage forward steps. In sessions she talks through practical strategies as well as the past events that continue to affect current feelings.
People considering therapy are invited to begin by completing a short questionnaire and scheduling a first session. The practice accepts clients internationally and conducts work in English. Costs vary by location and use a subscription that can be canceled at any time.
How her approaches translate to online work
Barbara uses client-centered therapy to focus sessions on what matters most to the person. That approach emphasizes listening, reflective feedback, and building a working relationship so clients can speak about painful memories and current struggles.She also uses cognitive behavioral therapy to help identify unhelpful thinking patterns and to teach practical coping strategies for anxiety and stress. Trauma-focused therapy is used when past abuse or PTSD symptoms are central, helping people process traumatic memories and reduce their day-to-day impact.
Choosing an approach is a collaborative process. The therapist will discuss goals, preferences, and what feels manageable, then try methods that match those needs. Adjustments are made over time based on how the client responds.
The biography does not list specific session formats, so confirm available options before booking. Online sessions can make it easier to fit appointments into work or caregiving schedules, reduce travel time, and allow for shorter check-ins when needed. Licensed professionals can adapt techniques used in person to a remote setting while focusing on practical tools and processing difficult experiences.
Areas of expertise
Primary focus
Additional focus areas
Therapeutic approaches
Experience
40+ years
Listed in
Florida
Languages
English
Frequently asked questions
What kinds of concerns does she address?
She works with stress, anxiety, family conflict, trauma and abuse, grief, and coping with life changes, including adoption and foster care related issues and guilt and shame.
How would she approach guilt or shame in sessions?
She combines client-centered listening with cognitive behavioral techniques and trauma-focused methods to talk through feelings and identify manageable steps forward.
What is her professional background?
She has 40 years of professional experience and ran a private practice in Massachusetts for over 20 years, focusing on sexual abuse and related PTSD before practicing in Florida.
What are her credentials and location?
She is a Florida LMHC and practices from Florida.
Are sessions offered in other languages or internationally?
Sessions are offered in English and international clients are accepted.
What session formats are offered?
The original biography does not specify session formats; please confirm current session options before booking.
How are fees handled?
Costs vary with location and sessions use a subscription that can be canceled at any time.
How do I begin working with her?
Select the See online therapy options button, complete a short matching questionnaire, and schedule a first session.
Online talk therapy is not emergency care. If you are in danger or thinking about harming yourself, use the crisis numbers.