PuttingFamilyFirst

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EB Portrait of Earl Barrios
Online therapist

Earl Barrios

Compassionate, practical help for families

Credentials
LPCC
Experience
38 years
Licensed in
California
Languages
English
Format
Online sessions

About Earl

Earl Barrios is a licensed professional clinical counselor who uses practical therapy methods to help people manage stress and anxiety. He draws on many years of experience to guide parents and families through difficult moments. Earl keeps language plain and focuses on clear steps clients can try between sessions.

He frames therapy as a collaborative effort. He listens to each person’s story and helps identify strengths they already have. From there he offers tools for communication, mood management, and problem solving that fit daily life.

Background and approach

Over nearly four decades in the field, Earl has worked with people facing relationship strain, parenting challenges, trauma and abuse, and mood disorders. He also supports those dealing with anger, bipolar disorder, ADHD, and identity and orientation concerns. His background includes training in several evidence-based approaches.

Earl blends Cognitive Behavioral Therapy with mindfulness practices to help change unhelpful thoughts and reactions. He also uses Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing when trauma memories are a central concern. For couples and relationship work he applies the Gottman Method techniques to improve communication and reduce conflict.

He holds a California LPCC license and works with English-speaking clients. Sessions are offered through a mix of video calls, phone sessions, live chat, and text-based messaging to fit busy schedules. To begin, people complete a short questionnaire and schedule a session that matches their needs.

Therapeutic approaches that translate well to online care

CBT, or Cognitive Behavioral Therapy, focuses on identifying unhelpful thoughts and testing practical ways to change them. It is often used for anxiety, depression, and stress and can include short exercises to try between sessions.

EMDR, Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing, helps people process troubling memories that keep causing distress. It uses structured steps to reduce the intensity of traumatic memories and can be adapted for remote sessions when appropriate.

Finding the right approach is part of the work together. Earl will discuss goals, preferences, and what feels manageable, then suggest methods that fit the situation. This is a collaborative process where adjustments are made as progress unfolds.

Online therapy makes it easier to fit sessions into a busy life. Video calls allow face-to-face conversation from home, phone sessions offer a simpler option, and live chat or text messaging can be useful for shorter check-ins or when writing feels easier. These formats increase flexibility and help maintain continuity of care across different schedules and locations.

Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT)

CBT looks at the link between what you think, how you feel, and what you do. You work on noticing unhelpful patterns and practising steadier responses. It suits online sessions well, because much of the work happens between appointments and can be talked through from anywhere.

Existential Therapy

Takes the larger questions seriously: meaning, choice, mortality, responsibility. Suited to periods when the difficulty is less a symptom than a sense that something has to change.

EMDR

A structured protocol used with distressing memories, pairing recall with guided attention tasks. Some therapists adapt it for video sessions; whether that fits is worth asking about directly.

Frequently asked questions

What concerns does he help with?
Earl works with stress, anxiety, relationship and family issues, trauma and abuse, depression, parenting challenges, anger, bipolar disorder, ADHD, and LGBT-related matters among other concerns.
What is his general therapy style?
He uses a direct, collaborative approach that mixes practical tools and reflection. Sessions focus on clear steps and techniques clients can try outside of sessions.
How much experience does he have?
He brings 38 years of professional experience working with a wide range of problems including mood disorders, trauma, and relationship conflict.
Where is he licensed and based?
He is licensed as an LPCC in California; the license number on file is CA LPCC 229.
What languages are supported?
Sessions are offered in English and he also accepts international clients.
Which session formats are available?
He offers video calls, phone sessions, live chat, and text-based messaging to provide flexible options for meetings.
How does payment work?
Cost varies with location and therapist availability; sessions use a subscription model that can be canceled at any time.
How do I start therapy?
Begin by selecting the Start Therapy button, completing a short matching questionnaire, and then scheduling a session according to therapist availability.

Next step

Talk to Earl

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