Barbara Pettibone, LCSW, CSW - Therapist in Colorado

Person-centered care
Aging and loss
Practical coping tools

About Barbara

Barbara Pettibone is a licensed clinical social worker who helps people facing stress, anxiety, grief, depression, and major life changes. She brings calm patience and a direct, caring style. Her work often addresses relationship and intimacy concerns, parenting struggles, and coping after trauma or disaster. Barbara emphasizes the person in front of her as the guide for therapy.

With 46 years in mental health, Barbara has practiced in both inpatient psychiatric hospitals and outpatient settings. She has particular experience supporting older adults through aging-related changes like loss, shifting relationships, and health challenges. That background informs how she frames practical goals and realistic steps for everyday life.

Her approach is collaborative and straightforward. She treats the client as the decision-maker and helps name problems and set clear goals. Sessions can include insight-oriented discussion, mindfulness practices, behavioral strategies, grief work, and other methods chosen to fit the person.

Barbara describes herself as honest, forthright, warm, and caring. She aims to offer steady support while encouraging people to use their own strengths. People who want a respectful, experienced guide for handling transitions and strong emotions may find her style helpful.

To begin, she asks people to identify the issues they want to address and the outcomes they hope for. From there she partners with them to plan steps toward those goals, adapting methods as needed to fit each person’s life and preferences.

How her approaches translate to online therapy

Attachment-Based Therapy focuses on how relationships shape feelings and expectations. In practice this means looking at patterns in close relationships and building new ways to connect and respond. Client-Centered Therapy centers the person's experience. The therapist follows the person's pace, offers reflective listening, and helps people find their own solutions to problems.

Finding the right approach is a shared task. Barbara will work together with each person to decide which methods fit their goals and life situation. That may mean combining insight work, mindfulness, or practical behavioral steps based on what the person wants to change.

The biography does not specify which online session formats are offered, so confirm current options before booking. Online therapy can make it easier to fit sessions into a busy week, reduce travel time, and allow quick check-ins when needed. Different approaches can still be effective in remote sessions; the therapist and client will choose what works best for the issue at hand and the person's preferences.

Areas of expertise

Primary focus

Stress, Anxiety Trauma and abuse Grief Depression Coping with life changes

Also works with

LGBTRelationship issuesFamily conflictsIntimacy-related issuesParenting issuesAnger managementSelf esteemCareer difficultiesBipolar disorderCoaching

Additional focus areas

AbandonmentAging and geriatric issuesAttachment issuesAvoidant personalityBlended family issuesBody imageCaregiver issues and stress Chronic pain, illness, and disabilityCodependencyCommitment issuesCommunication problemsControl issuesCoping with natural or human-caused disasterDependent personalityDisruptive Mood Dysregulation Disorder (DMDD)DissociationDivorce and separationEmptinessFamily of origin issuesFamily problemsFatherhood issuesFirst responder issuesForgivenessGuilt and shame Hospice and end-of-life counselingImpulsivityIsolation / lonelinessJealousyLife purposeMidlife crisisVeteran and Armed Forces Issues Mood disordersMulticultural concernsNarcissismPanic disorder and panic attacksPersonality disordersPost-traumatic stressSeasonal Affective Disorder (SAD)Self-harmSelf-loveSocial anxiety and phobiaSomatizationWomen's issuesWorkplace issuesYoung adult issues

Therapeutic approaches

Attachment-Based TherapyClient-Centered TherapyCognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT)Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT)Emotionally-Focused Therapy (EFT)Existential TherapyJungian TherapyMindfulness TherapyPsychodynamic TherapySolution-Focused TherapySomatic TherapyTrauma-Focused TherapyInternal Family SystemsSystemic Therapy

Experience

46+ years

Credentials

Colorado

Languages

English

Frequently asked questions

What concerns does she address?

She helps people dealing with stress, anxiety, grief, depression, trauma, and major life changes, including coping after natural or human-caused disasters.

What is her therapeutic style?

She uses a collaborative, straightforward style and follows the client's lead. Methods include insight-oriented talk, mindfulness, behavioral techniques, and grief work selected to fit the person's needs.

How long has she practiced?

Barbara has 46 years of experience in mental health, spanning inpatient psychiatric hospitals and outpatient settings.

What are her credentials and where is she based?

She holds LCSW and CSW credentials and is licensed in Colorado.

Which languages are supported and can international clients connect?

Sessions are offered in English, and she accepts international clients.

What session formats are offered?

The biography does not list specific session formats. Please confirm current session options before booking.

How much do sessions cost?

Cost varies with location and therapist availability; sessions use a subscription that can be canceled at any time.

How do I begin working with her?

Click the Start Therapy button, complete a short matching questionnaire, and schedule according to the therapist's availability.