Alicia Barrens
Hello and welcome! I’m a Licensed Clinical Social Worker with over 15 years of experience in behavioral health and social work. I bring a warm, genuine, and relatable style to therapy and believe that building a strong therapeutic relationship begins with meeting people where they are. My approach is supportive, collaborative, and practical. Therapy should be a space where you can show up as yourself, feel heard without judgment, and work through life’s challenges at a pace that feels right for you.
First session
Our first session is an opportunity for us to get to know one another and begin understanding what brought you to therapy. I’ll listen to your concerns, ask questions about what you’ve been experiencing, and learn what you hope to gain from our work together. My goal is for you to leave feeling heard, supported, and comfortable with the direction we’ll take moving forward.
Strengths
I bring warmth, empathy, experience, and a practical, nonjudgmental perspective to my sessions. I’ll give you space to talk and process without feeling rushed, but I’m also an engaged therapist. I ask questions, offer feedback, and gently challenge patterns when needed. My goal is for you to leave therapy not only feeling heard, but also with greater clarity and practical tools you can use in everyday life.
Ideal clients
You may be navigating anxiety, depression, relationship challenges, work stress, life transitions, or simply feeling overwhelmed or stuck. Perhaps you’re used to being the strong one for everyone else and have realized that you need support too. My ideal client is open to self-reflection and ready to better understand patterns, strengthen coping skills, set healthier boundaries, and make meaningful changes in their life.
Treatment methods
Cognitive Behavioral (CBT)
I use CBT to help you recognize how thoughts, emotions, and behaviors may be connected. Together, we’ll identify patterns that may be contributing to stress, anxiety, depression, or feeling stuck and develop practical strategies to help you respond to challenges in healthier, more effective ways.
Solution-Focused Brief Treatment
I use a solution-focused approach to help you identify what is already working, clarify what you would like to change, and build on your existing strengths. Together, we’ll develop realistic goals and practical steps that can help you begin moving toward the life you want.
Supportive
I use supportive therapy to provide a safe, nonjudgmental space where you can openly process your experiences and emotions. Through active listening, encouragement, reflection, and honest feedback, I’ll help you strengthen coping skills, recognize your strengths, and feel supported as you navigate difficult situations.
Motivational Interviewing
I use motivational interviewing to help you explore areas where you may feel uncertain or stuck about making a change. Rather than telling you what you should do, I’ll help you clarify what matters to you, explore your options, and identify your own motivation and confidence for moving forward.
Person-centered (Rogerian)
I believe you are the expert on your own life. I use a person-centered approach to meet you where you are, understand your experiences without judgment, and create a collaborative therapeutic relationship where you feel heard, respected, and comfortable being yourself
Location
Virtual sessions
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Licensed in
- CaliforniaLicense 129961