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BL Portrait of Barbara Leigh

Barbara Leigh

Seasoned counselor guiding practical, lasting change

LPC Alabama

Experience
38 years in practice
Focus areas
Stress, Anxiety, Trauma and abuse, Sleeping
Approaches
Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT), Client-Centered Therapy
Languages
English
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About Barbara

Barbara Leigh is an experienced licensed professional counselor (LPC) who brings nearly four decades of clinical work to people facing stress, anxiety, trauma, depression, addictions, relationship challenges, grief, and a wide range of other concerns.

Background and approach

She combines practical, evidence-informed strategies with a client-centered stance to help clients identify goals and take manageable steps toward lasting change. Barbara's approach values individual strengths while teaching skills that reduce symptoms and improve daily functioning.

Her toolkit includes cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) alongside client-centered methods, motivational interviewing, solution-focused techniques, and trauma-focused work. She has practiced in diverse settings and emphasizes collaborative planning so interventions fit each person's life and priorities.

Barbara also attends to neurodiversity and related challenges, drawing on experience with autism and ADHD as part of a broader focus on tailoring care to how each person's mind and body respond to stress. Based in Alabama, Barbara offers ongoing, growth-oriented therapy for people seeking both short-term problem solving and longer-term personal development.

She aims to balance compassion, practicality, and even humor to make the therapeutic process engaging and sustainable.

Approaches for change in online therapy

Barbara commonly uses cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) to help people identify unhelpful thought and behavior patterns and learn skills to reduce anxiety, manage mood, and improve daily functioning. She also draws on client-centered therapy to create a supportive, nonjudgmental space where the client's priorities direct the pacing and goals of work. Motivational interviewing is used when exploring ambivalence and strengthening commitment to change, especially around addictive behaviors or readiness for new habits.

Choosing the right approach is part of the therapeutic process, and the therapist works collaboratively with each person to determine which methods best match their needs, goals, and preferences. That collaborative planning helps shape a tailored plan that can combine approaches as appropriate and evolve over time.

Online therapy with Barbara is offered via video calls, phone sessions, live chat, or text-based messaging to increase flexibility and access. These formats make it easier to fit treatment into busy lives, maintain continuity when schedules change, and use a combination of real-time and text-based interactions to reinforce learning and skill practice between sessions.

Frequently asked questions

What issues does Barbara commonly address?
She works with stress, anxiety, trauma and abuse, sleeping problems, self-esteem, coping with life changes, addictions, LGBT concerns, relationship and family issues, grief, intimacy-related issues, eating concerns, parenting, anger, career challenges, bipolar disorder, depression, compassion fatigue, and ADHD, among other topics.
What therapeutic style can I expect in sessions?
The style is collaborative and client-centered, focusing on the person's goals while teaching practical skills and strategies to manage symptoms and support growth.
How much clinical experience does the therapist have?
Barbara has 38 years of experience in clinical practice and has worked across inpatient, outpatient, residential, day treatment, in-home, independent practice, and virtual settings.
Where is Barbara licensed to practice and what are her credentials?
She holds the LPC credential with SC LPC 7434 and OR LPC C2791, and she practices from Alabama as a licensed professional counselor.
Can someone who speaks another language work with this therapist?
Sessions are offered in English; she is not listed as providing services in other languages and is not accepting international clients at this time.
Which session formats are available for online work?
Barbara offers video calls, phone sessions, live chat, and text-based messaging to accommodate different communication preferences and scheduling needs.
How is cost handled for sessions?
Cost varies with location and therapist availability; sessions are provided through a subscription model that can be canceled at any time.
What are the first steps to begin therapy?
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

Stress, AnxietyTrauma and abuseSleeping disordersSelf esteemCoping with life changes

Also works with

AddictionsLGBTRelationship issuesFamily conflictsGriefIntimacy-related issuesEating disordersParenting issuesAnger managementCareer difficultiesBipolar disorderDepressionCompassion fatigueADHD

Additional focus areas

Aging and geriatric issuesAutism and Asperger SyndromeBDSM, kink, and alternative sex cultureBlended family issuesCaregiver issues and stressChronic pain, illness, and disabilityCodependencyCommunication problemsCoping with natural or human-caused disasterDisruptive Mood Dysregulation Disorder (DMDD)DissociationDivorce and separationFamily of origin issuesFamily problemsFatherhood issuesFirst responder issuesHIV / AIDSHospice and end-of-life counselingIntellectual disabilityLife purposeMidlife crisisVeteran and Armed Forces IssuesMood disordersMulticultural concernsPanic disorder and panic attacksPhobiasPostpartum depressionPost-traumatic stressPregnancy and childbirthPrejudice and discriminationSeasonal Affective Disorder (SAD)Self-harmSelf-loveSex addictionSexual assault and abuseSexual dysfunctionSexualitySocial anxiety and phobiaTraumatic brain injuryWorkplace issuesYoung adult issues

Therapeutic approaches

Client-Centered TherapyCognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT)Motivational InterviewingSolution-Focused TherapyTrauma-Focused Therapy

Experience

38+ years

Licensed

Alabama, Oregon, South Carolina, Georgia, Washington

Languages

English