Barbara Defazzio
Experienced trauma-focused counselor and listener
LMHC Florida
- Experience
- 40 years in practice
- Focus areas
- Stress, Anxiety, Family, Trauma and abuse
- Approaches
- Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT), Client-Centered Therapy
- Languages
- English
About Barbara
Barbara Defazzio is a Florida-licensed mental health counselor (FL LMHC MH6336) with four decades of clinical experience. She built a independent practice in Massachusetts for more than 20 years, focusing heavily on sexual abuse and trauma-related care, and has continued that work since relocating to Florida.
Background and approach
Over the years she has supported many people affected by post-traumatic stress related to abuse and those who experienced the foster care or adoption process as children. Her practice addresses a range of concerns including stress, anxiety, family conflict, grief, and adjustment to life changes.
She also brings experience with attachment and blended family issues, caregiver stress, communication problems, and the complex feelings that can follow sexual assault and other forms of trauma. Barbara blends trauma-informed approaches with client-centered listening to help clients move through guilt, isolation, and other painful reactions.
Clients who reach out can expect an approach shaped by long-term clinical work and practical methods that emphasize collaboration and clear strategies. She encourages people who are ready to begin to take that first step, offering guidance on how to get started and what to expect in early sessions.
Approaches That Translate Well to Online Care
Barbara often uses Cognitive Behavioral Therapy to help clients identify and shift unhelpful thinking and behavior patterns; CBT is practical and goal-oriented, often helpful for anxiety, stress, and mood concerns. She also employs Trauma-Focused Therapy to address the effects of abuse and post-traumatic stress, working to process traumatic memories and reduce their ongoing impact in daily life. In addition, Client-Centered Therapy informs her way of working by emphasizing empathetic listening and collaboration so clients feel heard and involved in planning their care.Finding the right approach is handled collaboratively. The therapist works with each person to clarify needs, goals, and preferences and then adapts techniques over time rather than insisting on a single method. That collaborative process helps tailor treatment to what feels most useful and realistic for the client’s situation.
Online sessions are available by video calls, phone sessions, live chat, or text-based messaging, offering flexible timing and formats to fit different schedules and communication styles. These options make it easier to maintain continuity of care when travel, family demands, or location would otherwise make regular sessions difficult, and they allow licensed professionals to deliver consistent therapeutic work across distances.
Frequently asked questions
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Areas of expertise
Primary focus
Additional focus areas
Therapeutic approaches
Experience
40+ years
Licensed
Florida
Languages
English