Annette Rios-Barrera, LCSW

Annette Rios-Barrera is a Licensed Clinical Social Worker (LCSW) based in Texas with 23 years of professional experience. Her pronouns are she/her. She offers trauma-informed, relationally focused therapy that supports people coping with anxiety, depression, PTSD, identity exploration, and the often messy landscape of human connection. Annette works with individuals and families from diverse backgrounds, including members of the LGBTQ community, people in polyamorous or ethically non-monogamous relationships, and those navigating grief or pet loss.

Her approach centers on tailoring care to each person’s goals and values, emphasizing emotional safety, rebuilding trust, and strengthening self-awareness so clients can feel more aligned and resilient in their lives and relationships. She brings both clinical depth and a practical, compassionate manner to sessions, addressing issues such as family conflict, intimacy concerns, career stress, and the challenges that accompany major life transitions.

In addition to clinical practice, Annette is a certified laughter yoga instructor and integrates moments of playfulness and mindfulness when appropriate, believing that healing can include joy alongside processing pain. She aims to validate lived experience and to empower people as they move forward and discover new capacities for growth.

Therapeutic Approaches and Online Support

Annette draws on a blend of evidence-informed approaches to guide online work in ways that fit each person’s needs. Acceptance and Commitment Therapy, or ACT, focuses on helping people notice painful thoughts and feelings without getting stuck in them while identifying values-based actions that lead to a more meaningful life; it is often helpful for anxiety, depression, and coping with change. Attachment-Based Therapy explores patterns of relating formed early in life and how those patterns affect current relationships - this approach can be especially useful for healing relational wounds, improving intimacy, and addressing abandonment or attachment issues. Client-Centered Therapy emphasizes empathic listening and collaboration, creating a respectful space where clients’ own strengths and insights lead the way.

Finding the right approach is part of the therapeutic process. Annette works collaboratively with each person to determine which methods best match their goals, preferences, and life circumstances, adjusting the plan as progress unfolds.

Online sessions offer flexibility and accessibility through video calls, phone sessions, live chat, or text-based messaging, allowing people to fit therapy into busy schedules, connect from different locations, and continue care even when life circumstances change. Licensed professionals can adapt these formats to support steady progress and ongoing connection to treatment.