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LCSW

Annette Rios-Barrera, LCSW

  • Experience23 years
  • LocationTexas
  • Focus areasLGBT, Relationship, and Family
  • Therapy approachesInternal Family Systems and Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT)
  • LanguagesEnglish and Spanish
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About Annette

Annette Rios-Barrera brings 23 years of clinical practice to clients in Texas, working as an LCSW (Licensed Clinical Social Worker). She combines trauma-informed and relational perspectives to help people navigate anxiety, depression, grief, identity exploration, and the complexities of close relationships.

Background and approach

Annette emphasizes tailoring care to each person's goals and values, creating an environment where emotional safety, trust, and self-awareness can grow. Her approach blends practical interventions with gentle exploration, drawing on methods such as Internal Family Systems, Acceptance and Commitment Therapy, Attachment-Based Therapy, client-centered work, and cognitive-behavioral techniques.

She also integrates moments of lightness, including her background in laughter yoga, when appropriate to support resilience and balance. Annette works with a wide range of concerns including LGBT issues, intimacy-related challenges, career stress, family dynamics, chronic health and caregiver stress, and other complex life transitions.

She offers services in English and Spanish and accepts international clients, providing multiple remote session formats to fit different needs and schedules.

Integrating relational approaches with online therapy

Annette often uses Internal Family Systems to help people notice and relate to different inner parts with curiosity and compassion; this work can be useful for handling internal conflict, self-criticism, and emotion regulation. She also employs Acceptance and Commitment Therapy to support values-driven choices and present-moment awareness, which can help clients facing stress, anxiety, or life transitions. Attachment-Based Therapy is used to explore patterns in close relationships and to build greater security and trust in interpersonal connections.

Finding the right approach is part of the therapeutic journey. The therapist collaborates with clients to identify which methods best match their goals, preferences, and current challenges, and adapts the plan over time as needs evolve. This collaborative process helps ensure the work stays focused and relevant to each person’s life.

Online formats - including video calls, phone sessions, live chat, and text-based messaging - make these approaches accessible across distances and schedules. Those options provide flexibility for people balancing work, caregiving, or travel, and allow consistent engagement with therapeutic tools in ways that fit daily life.

Frequently asked questions

What types of concerns does this therapist address?
She works with a broad set of issues including anxiety, depression, grief, relationship and intimacy-related challenges, LGBT concerns, career stress, and coping with life changes.
What therapeutic approaches guide sessions?
The practice draws on approaches such as Internal Family Systems, Acceptance and Commitment Therapy, Attachment-Based Therapy, client-centered work, and cognitive behavioral techniques to tailor treatment to individual needs.
How much clinical experience does the therapist have?
Annette has 23 years of professional experience as a clinician working with diverse concerns and relational issues.
What are the therapist's credentials and location?
She is an LCSW licensed in Texas with license number TX LCSW 53659 and practices from that state.
Can sessions be held in languages other than English?
Yes, services are offered in both English and Spanish, and the therapist also accepts international clients.
Which session formats are available for remote work?
Clients can meet via video calls, phone sessions, live chat, or text-based messaging to suit different preferences and schedules.
How is cost handled for therapy sessions?
Cost varies with location and therapist availability; sessions use a subscription model that can be canceled at any time.
What are the steps to begin working together?
To start, select the Start Therapy button, complete a short matching questionnaire, and then schedule sessions according to the therapist's availability.

Areas of expertise

Primary focus

LGBTRelationship issuesFamily conflictsGriefIntimacy-related issues

Also works with

Stress, AnxietyCareer difficultiesDepressionCoping with life changes

Additional focus areas

AbandonmentAdoption and foster careAging and geriatric issuesAttachment issuesAutism and Asperger SyndromeAvoidant personalityBDSM, kink, and alternative sex cultureBlended family issuesBody imageCancerCaregiver issues and stressChronic pain, illness, and disabilityCo-morbidityCodependencyCommitment issuesCommunication problemsControl issuesCoping with natural or human-caused disasterDependent personalityDisruptive Mood Dysregulation Disorder (DMDD)Divorce and separationDomestic violenceDrug and alcohol addictionEating and food-related issuesEmptinessFamily of origin issuesFamily problemsFatherhood issuesFertility issuesFirst responder issuesForgivenessGender dysphoriaGuilt and shameHIV / AIDSHoardingHospice and end-of-life counselingImmigration issuesImpulsivityInfidelityIntellectual disabilityIsolation / lonelinessJealousyLife purposeMen's issuesMidlife crisisVeteran and Armed Forces IssuesMoney and financial issuesMood disordersMulticultural concernsNarcissismObsessions, compulsions, and OCDPanic disorder and panic attacksParanoiaPersonality disordersPhobiasPolyamory / non-monogamous relationshipsPostpartum depressionPost-traumatic stressPregnancy and childbirthPrejudice and discriminationProcess addiction (porn, exercise, gambling)Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD)Self-harmSelf-loveSex addictionSexual assault and abuseSexual dysfunctionSexualitySmoking / vaping cessationSocial anxiety and phobiaWomen's issuesWorkplace issuesYoung adult issues

Therapeutic approaches

Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT)Attachment-Based TherapyClient-Centered TherapyCognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT)Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT)Emotionally-Focused Therapy (EFT)Existential TherapyEye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing (EMDR)Gottman MethodJungian TherapyMindfulness TherapyMotivational InterviewingNarrative TherapyPsychodynamic TherapySolution-Focused TherapySomatic TherapyTrauma-Focused TherapyInternal Family SystemsSystemic Therapy

Experience

23+ years

Licensed

Texas

Languages

English, Spanish