Barb Eager

When anxiety, depression, or a hard season has been running the show for a while, it can feel like you have tried everything and it just keeps coming back. My hope is that working with me feels like you can finally take a breath.

I’m a Licensed Independent Clinical Social Worker (LICSW) with 12 years of experience working with adolescents, young adults, and adults in inpatient, community-based, and school settings. My approach is rooted in CBT and really supporting with breaking the cycle of negative thoughts and behaviors. We’ll work together to understand the patterns that may be keeping you stuck, identify what you want to change, and find realistic ways to move forward. I’ll meet you where you are while also helping you take those next steps when you’re ready.

Over the years, I’ve learned that therapy doesn’t have to be stiff, intimidating, or feel like you’re being analyzed. I believe you should be able to come into therapy as you are, talk openly about what’s going on, laugh when it feels appropriate, and know that you’re not going to be judged.

I’m warm, compassionate, and pretty laid-back, but I’m also going to challenge you when I think it could help. I won’t just agree with everything you say or tell you what you want to hear. Sometimes you need someone to listen and remind you that what you’re feeling makes sense. Other times, you need someone to gently say, “Okay, but what if we looked at this differently?” I try to be that person.

Most importantly, I want you to feel safe being honest with me—even when things are messy, uncomfortable, or hard to talk about. You don’t have to have everything figured out before you come to therapy. We can figure it out together.

First sessions can feel a little awkward or nerve-wracking—after all, you’re meeting a stranger and talking about your life! But I promise, you don’t need to show up with a perfectly organized explanation of what’s going on or a five-year plan for therapy.

Our first session is really about getting to know each other. I’ll ask about what brought you in, what’s been going on, and what you’d like to get out of therapy. You’ll have a chance to ask questions, get a feel for my style, and decide if I’m someone you feel comfortable working with.

There will be questions, but this is not an interrogation. You’re also not required to tell me your entire life story in 53 minutes. We’ll take our time and focus on what feels most important to you right now.

Most importantly, I want you to feel comfortable being yourself. If you’re nervous, we can talk about that. If you cry, that’s okay. If you laugh at something that probably shouldn’t be funny, I can probably relate. My goal is for you to leave feeling like, “Okay, that wasn’t nearly as scary as I thought it would be,” and hopefully with the sense that we can figure things out together.