Barbara Pettibone, LCSW, CSW

Barbara Pettibone is a licensed clinical social worker (LCSW) based in Colorado with 46 years in mental health care. She works with young adults, adults, and seniors. She focuses on stresses like anxiety, grief, depression, life changes, and relationship and intimacy concerns. Barbara emphasizes a practical, respectful approach where the person seeking help leads the process.

Her background includes both inpatient psychiatric hospitals and outpatient settings. That experience informs how she approaches complicated situations like chronic illness, caregiver stress, and changes that come with aging. She often helps people manage grief, loss, and shifts in relationships that come with life transitions.

Barbara describes her role as a collaborator who is honest, direct, and warm. She and the client set goals together and work toward them in ways that fit the client’s needs. She says the client is the "boss," and therapy is shaped around what the person wants to address.

Her ways of working draw from several approaches rather than a single method. She uses attachment-based ideas to look at relationship patterns, client-centered listening to follow the person's lead, and behavioral tools when practical changes are needed. She also draws on dialectical and emotion-focused techniques as useful.

Barbara has a long history helping older adults navigate loss and health changes, but she also works with people facing career strain, parenting challenges, anger, body image, and identity concerns including LGBT issues. To begin, a person completes a short matching questionnaire and schedules based on availability.

How her approaches translate to online therapy

Attachment-Based Therapy looks at how early relationship patterns affect current connections. It helps people see and change ways they react in close relationships and manage abandonment or commitment concerns. Client-Centered Therapy focuses on listening and following the client's lead. The therapist offers empathy and reflection so a person can clarify goals and make decisions that feel right. Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) teaches practical steps to change unhelpful thoughts and behaviors, which can help with anxiety, depression, and stress.

Finding the right approach is part of the work. Barbara will collaborate with each person to decide which methods to try based on their goals and preferences. That means trying a few techniques, noting what helps, and adjusting the plan together as progress is made.

The practical benefits of online therapy include fitting sessions into a busy life and reducing travel time. Online work can make it easier to schedule around work, caregiving, or medical appointments. Because the therapist’s session formats are not listed in the biography, confirm current options before booking so you know how sessions are held. Licensed professionals can use these approaches effectively across different session styles to focus on real-life changes and coping skills.