Christine Barnes, LCSW

Christine Barnes is a Licensed Clinical Social Worker (LCSW) with 17 years of clinical experience. She spent ten years with the Department of Veterans Affairs, where she provided care to veterans coping with PTSD, depression, anxiety, and substance use disorders. Before her time at the VA she worked in nursing homes and community mental health centers, offering psychotherapy and crisis intervention to people of different ages and backgrounds.

She identifies primarily as a trauma therapist and works from the perspective that many diagnoses trace back to adverse experiences in a person's past. Clients have described her as "blunt" and "caring" because of a no-nonsense yet compassionate style. She values direct feedback and considers honest confrontation about self-deception to be a meaningful part of the therapeutic process.

Her practice addresses a wide range of concerns including stress, anxiety, trauma and abuse, self-esteem, depression, coping with life changes, addictions, LGBT issues, relationships and family dynamics, grief, intimacy difficulties, sleep problems, parenting, anger, career transitions, bipolar disorder, compassion fatigue, and ADHD. She works collaboratively with clients to set practical goals and apply effective strategies, and she welcomes individuals who are ready for frank, change-focused work.

Trauma-informed approaches and online care

Christine Barnes integrates evidence-informed methods into online work to address symptoms and build practical coping skills. Cognitive Behavioral Therapy, or CBT, helps clients identify and shift unhelpful thinking and behavior patterns and is useful for anxiety, depression, and stress-related concerns. Dialectical Behavior Therapy, or DBT, focuses on emotion regulation, distress tolerance, and interpersonal effectiveness and can support people struggling with intense emotions, relationship challenges, or self-destructive behaviors. Trauma-Focused Therapy directly addresses the impact of traumatic events by helping clients process painful memories and develop safety-focused coping strategies, which can reduce trauma-related symptoms and improve daily functioning.

Finding the right approach is part of the therapeutic process, and Christine takes a collaborative stance. She works with each person to assess needs, goals, and preferences and then tailors the methods used so therapy fits the individual rather than forcing a single model. Licensed professionals and therapists often combine techniques to meet changing needs over time.

Online sessions - whether by video call, phone, live chat, or text-based messaging - offer flexibility for scheduling and access. These formats make it easier to maintain continuity of care amid busy lives, travel, or mobility challenges, while still allowing focused, goal-oriented work with a licensed therapist.