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LMSW

Teresa Barnes, LMSW

  • Experience29 years
  • LocationMichigan
  • Focus areasStress and Anxiety, Addictions, and Trauma and abuse
  • Therapy approachesInternal Family Systems and Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT)
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About Teresa

Teresa Barnes is a licensed social worker (LMSW) based in Michigan who draws on nearly three decades of clinical experience to support people facing complex emotional challenges. She centers her practice on compassionate, individualized care, tailoring conversations and treatment plans to each person's unique needs.

Background and approach

Teresa has worked extensively with stress, anxiety, addictions, trauma and abuse, grief, and depression, and brings steady clinical judgment to those concerns. Her approach is collaborative and respectful, emphasizing sensitivity as clients navigate attachment wounds, abandonment and foster care issues, aging concerns, body image struggles, codependency, and a broad range of personality and mood-related difficulties.

Teresa uses a variety of evidence-informed methods to address unhealthy patterns and to build coping skills and emotional resilience. She encourages prospective clients to acknowledge the courage it takes to begin therapy and aims to make the process practical and affirming from the first steps through ongoing work.

Integrating evidence-based approaches for online healing

Teresa commonly uses Internal Family Systems to help people explore internal parts and the relationships between them; this approach can be useful for understanding inner conflicts and patterns that drive anxiety, grief, or addictive behaviors. Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT) is another method she draws on, teaching practical exercises to clarify values and to foster flexible willingness in the face of difficult thoughts and emotions. Attachment-Based Therapy appears in her work as well, focusing on how early relational patterns shape present connections and emotional responses.

Finding the right approach is treated as a collaborative process. Teresa will work with each client to identify which methods best match their goals, preferences, and the issues they bring to therapy, adjusting techniques over time as progress unfolds. Clients participate in shaping the plan so the work feels relevant and doable.

Online therapy options include video calls, phone sessions, live chat, and text-based messaging, offering flexibility for different schedules and comfort levels. These formats make it possible to maintain continuity of care from varied locations and to choose the communication mode that fits daily life while working on stress, trauma, mood, or addiction-related concerns.

Frequently asked questions

What kinds of concerns does Teresa address?
She works with stress, anxiety, addictions, trauma and abuse, grief, and depression, along with related areas such as attachment issues, abandonment, body image, codependency, and other mood or personality challenges.
What therapeutic style can I expect in sessions?
Theresa blends client-centered empathy with structured techniques from approaches like CBT and ACT to help clients build insight and practical coping skills.
How much clinical experience does she have?
She brings 29 years of professional work experience to her practice, offering long-term perspective on common and complex concerns.
Where is Teresa licensed and what is her credential?
She is licensed in Michigan and holds an LMSW with license number MI LMSW 6801082528.
Does she work with clients who live outside the United States?
Yes, Teresa accepts international clients and conducts sessions in English.
Which session formats are available for online work?
She offers video calls, phone sessions, live chat, and text-based messaging to accommodate varying needs and schedules.
How are therapy fees handled?
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 with Teresa?
Start by selecting the Start Therapy button, completing a short matching questionnaire, and scheduling according to therapist availability.

Areas of expertise

Primary focus

Stress, AnxietyAddictionsTrauma and abuseGriefDepression

Additional focus areas

AbandonmentAdoption and foster careAging and geriatric issuesAntisocial personalityAttachment issuesAutism and Asperger SyndromeBlended family issuesBody imageCodependencyCommitment issuesCommunication problemsControl issuesCoping with natural or human-caused disasterDependent personalityDisruptive Mood Dysregulation Disorder (DMDD)Divorce and separationDomestic violenceFamily of origin issuesFamily problemsFatherhood issuesFertility issuesForgivenessGuilt and shameImpulsivityInfidelityIsolation / lonelinessJealousyLife purposeVeteran and Armed Forces IssuesMood disordersMulticultural concernsObsessions, compulsions, and OCDPersonality disordersPhobiasPostpartum depressionPost-traumatic stressPregnancy and childbirthPrejudice and discriminationSeasonal Affective Disorder (SAD)Self-harmSelf-loveSexual assault and abuseSocial anxiety and phobiaSomatizationWomen's 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 TherapyMindfulness TherapyMotivational InterviewingNarrative TherapySolution-Focused TherapyTrauma-Focused TherapyInternal Family Systems

Experience

29+ years

Licensed

Michigan

Languages

English