Barbara Ackeret-Smith, LCSW

Barbara Ackeret-Smith is a Licensed Clinical Social Worker (LCSW) with 35 years of experience helping people navigate a wide range of life challenges. She works with clients of all ages and brings a broad clinical background to concerns such as stress, anxiety, relationship and family difficulties, trauma and abuse, and depression. Her practice emphasizes Cognitive Behavioral Therapy and client-centered therapy as primary methods, and she adapts techniques to match each person’s unique situation and strengths.

Known for an easy-going, warm manner, she connects through empathy, attentive listening, and appropriate use of humor to create a collaborative treatment process. Her clinical experience includes support for depressive and anxiety disorders, post-traumatic stress, issues related to aging and caregiving, adjustment to physical disability and chronic pain, family and marital problems, and work with more severe mental health conditions and personality disorders. She has also assisted hospice patients and their families through end-of-life concerns.

Barbara approaches each therapeutic relationship with respect and admiration for the client’s story, aiming to identify practical steps and coping strategies that fit daily life. She accepts international clients and offers multiple ways to work together, including video calls, phone sessions, live chat, and text-based messaging.

Approaches in Online Care with an LCSW

Barbara Ackeret-Smith uses Cognitive Behavioral Therapy and client-centered therapy as core tools in her work. Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) helps people identify and shift unhelpful thoughts and behaviors, and it is commonly used for concerns such as anxiety, depression, stress, and adjustment difficulties. Client-centered therapy focuses on listening, empathy, and the client’s own goals, creating a supportive environment where individuals can explore emotions and make changes at their own pace.

Finding the right approach is part of the therapeutic process. Barbara collaborates with clients to determine which techniques fit their needs, goals, and preferences, and she is willing to adapt methods as the work evolves so the plan remains practical and responsive. Licensed professionals and therapists often combine evidence-based tools to address complex situations, and she follows that collaborative model.

Online therapy offers practical flexibility that can make consistent care easier to sustain. Sessions by video call, phone, live chat, or text-based messaging allow clients to connect from different locations and choose formats that fit their schedules and comfort levels. This range of options helps maintain continuity of care and supports access to licensed therapists for people with diverse needs.