Barbara "Barb" Kroening, LISW - Therapist in Iowa

About Barbara

Barbara "Barb" Kroening offers a steady, practical presence for people facing family and parenting challenges. She speaks plainly and listens closely. Visitors will find a straightforward, nonjudgmental approach that emphasizes honesty and real-world steps rather than jargon.

Barb aims to meet people where they are and gently encourage progress toward clearer goals. Barb is a Licensed Independent Social Worker - LISW practicing in Iowa. She brings 12 years of professional experience supporting people with substance use concerns, trauma histories, grief and loss, and anger.

Background and approach

Her background also includes work with immigration-related issues and caregiving stress. In sessions she focuses on building trust and understanding each person’s priorities. Conversations are practical and goal-oriented, with room for feelings and for problem solving.

She uses client-centered ways of working that keep the person’s values and choices at the center. She also draws on mindfulness techniques to help with stress and emotional regulation, and on motivational interviewing to support change when people feel stuck. Those methods help clients identify steps that fit their life and strengths.

Barb offers several online formats such as video calls, phone, live chat, and text messaging. Her practice is aimed at people who want clear, compassionate help for real family and life concerns. If you want straightforward guidance and steady support, she listens and helps map practical next steps.

Approaches that translate well to online care

Client-centered therapy puts the person’s needs and choices at the center of each session. It involves open listening, reflecting what matters to the client, and working together on priorities. This approach helps when someone needs a respectful space to sort out family or personal concerns.

Mindfulness therapy teaches simple practices to reduce stress and manage strong emotions. These techniques help with anxiety, sleep problems, and anger by increasing present-moment awareness and slowing reactive patterns. Motivational interviewing helps people move through ambivalence toward change by exploring personal reasons for wanting different outcomes and identifying manageable next steps.

Barb will work collaboratively to find the best approach for each person. She helps clients decide which methods fit their goals and adapts techniques over time based on what’s working and what isn’t. That cooperative process makes it easier to try things and adjust as needed.

Online therapy offers flexibility through video calls, phone sessions, live chat, or text messaging. These options let people fit sessions into busy family schedules, continue work while traveling, or choose shorter check-ins when that’s helpful. The range of formats supports steady progress even when life is hectic.

Client-Centered Therapy

The direction comes from you rather than from a set programme. The therapist offers a warm, non-judgemental space to think out loud and work at your own pace. Online, this rests on the relationship rather than on being in the same room.

Mindfulness Therapy

Attention training: noticing thoughts and physical feelings as they arrive without being carried off by them. Much of it is practice you do yourself, so guidance over video or audio works much as it would in person.

Motivational Interviewing

A way of working through mixed feelings about change without being pushed. The therapist helps you weigh things up and find your own reasons, which often makes a difficult decision feel less stuck.

Frequently asked questions

What kinds of problems does she help with?

Barb works with a wide range of concerns including family and parenting matters, trauma and abuse, grief, stress, anxiety, depression, addictions, and coping with life changes.

What is her overall approach in sessions?

She uses a client-centered style that emphasizes listening and collaboration, along with mindfulness and solution-focused techniques to address stress and practical problems.

What experience does she bring?

She has 12 years of professional experience supporting people with substance issues, trauma history, grief, anger, and immigration-related concerns.

What are her credentials and where is she located?

Barb is a Licensed Independent Social Worker - LISW with license number IA LISW 072666, and she practices in Iowa.

Which languages are supported?

Sessions are offered in English.

What session formats are available?

She offers video calls, phone sessions, live chat, and text-based messaging to fit different needs and schedules.

How are costs and payment handled?

Cost varies with location and therapist availability; sessions are provided through a subscription that can be canceled at any time.

How do I begin working with her?

To start, select the Start Therapy button, complete a short matching questionnaire, and schedule sessions according to therapist availability.

Specialties and expertise

Top specialties

Family conflicts
Trauma and abuse
Grief

Also works with

Therapeutic approaches

Experience: 12 years
Licensed: Iowa
Languages: English

Next step

Talk to Barbara

Takes a few minutes
Nothing to set up just to look
Stop at any point

Book with Barbara