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Barbara Lefdal

Barbara Lefdal

LPC-MH

South Dakota

Compassionate therapist for life transitions

Continue with Barbara

At a glance

Credentials
LPC-MH
License
LPC-MH, South Dakota / LPC-MH30757
Experience
30 years
Languages
English
Location
South Dakota

Details come from information the therapist supplied to BetterHelp. A license can be checked with the state board.

    • Anxiety and depression
    • Grief and caregiving
    • Practical coping skills

    About Barbara

    Barbara Lefdal is a licensed therapist with 30 years of experience in South Dakota. She focuses on helping people manage anxiety, depression, grief, and the strain of major life changes. Barbara emphasizes practical, personal support so clients feel heard and able to take small steps forward.

    She uses Motivational Interviewing to help people find their own reasons to change and stay engaged with goals. She also draws on Client-Centered Therapy to create a respectful, nonjudgmental space, and Cognitive Behavioral Therapy to spot unhelpful thoughts and try new behaviors. These approaches are used to address mood concerns, stress, and coping skills.

    Barbara has long experience supporting older adults, caregivers, and people who struggle with isolation or complex emotions like guilt and shame. She also helps with issues tied to aging, caregiving stress, and end-of-life concerns. Her background includes work with multicultural issues and mood disorders.

    In sessions she aims for clear, down-to-earth conversation and practical steps that fit each person's life. She pays attention to communication problems, codependency, control issues, and financial stress as they affect emotional wellbeing. The work tends to be collaborative and paced to each person’s needs.

    People who choose Barbara can expect a steady, compassionate presence and a focus on small, achievable change. To begin, readers should use the site’s Start Therapy button to complete a short matching questionnaire and schedule according to therapist availability.

  2. How Barbara's Approaches Work Online

    Motivational Interviewing is a collaborative way to help people find their own reasons to change. It uses questions and reflections to strengthen motivation and set manageable goals. Client-Centered Therapy focuses on listening and acceptance so people can explore their feelings at their own pace. Cognitive Behavioral Therapy looks at the link between thoughts, feelings, and actions and helps people try practical changes to reduce distress.

    Choosing an approach is a team effort between the person and the therapist. Barbara will talk about goals, try methods that fit the situation, and adjust plans as needed. The process is meant to match the work to what feels most useful for each person.

    The biography does not specify which online session formats are offered, so confirm current options before booking. Online work can make scheduling easier and cut travel time. It can also allow shorter check-ins when time is limited and offer flexibility to fit sessions into a busy day. Licensed professionals, including therapists, can use these ways of working to make therapy more accessible while focusing on the same therapeutic steps they would use in person.

  4. Areas of expertise

    Primary focus

    Stress, AnxietyGriefDepressionCoping with life changesCompassion fatigue

    Additional focus areas

    AbandonmentAging and geriatric issuesCaregiver issues and stressCodependencyCommunication problemsControl issuesDivorce and separationGuilt and shameHospice and end-of-life counselingIntellectual disabilityIsolation / lonelinessMoney and financial issuesMood disordersMulticultural concernsPost-traumatic stressSeasonal Affective Disorder (SAD)Self-loveSocial anxiety and phobiaWomen's issues

    Therapeutic approaches

    Client-Centered TherapyCognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT)Mindfulness TherapyMotivational InterviewingPsychodynamic TherapySolution-Focused TherapyTrauma-Focused Therapy

    Experience

    30+ years

    Listed in

    South Dakota

    Languages

    English

  5. Frequently asked questions

    What concerns does Barbara commonly address?

    She focuses on stress, anxiety, grief, depression, and coping with life changes, plus compassion fatigue and related issues.

    How would you describe her therapeutic style?

    Her style is collaborative and grounded. She uses Motivational Interviewing, Client-Centered Therapy, and CBT to support practical change and personal insight.

    What kind of experience does she bring?

    Barbara has three decades of professional experience working with a wide range of emotional and life transition concerns.

    What credentials and location are listed?

    She is listed as LPC-MH and practices in South Dakota.

    Are sessions offered in other languages or to international clients?

    Sessions are offered in English and she is not accepting international clients.

    What session formats are available?

    The original biography does not specify session formats, so confirm current session options before booking.

    How is cost handled for sessions?

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

    How do I start working with her?

    Use the Start Therapy button, complete the short matching questionnaire, and schedule based on therapist availability.

  6. Online talk therapy is not emergency or medical care. Stopping or cutting down alcohol or other drugs can be unsafe without medical advice. In immediate danger? Crisis numbers

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Barbara Lefdal Continue with Barbara