Barbara Lefdal , LPC-MH

Barbara Lefdal is a licensed professional counselor with 30 years of experience in South Dakota. She focuses on helping people manage stress, anxiety, grief, depression, and major life changes. Barbara brings a calm, steady presence to conversations and helps clients find practical ways to cope and move forward.

Her approach centers on the person in front of her. She uses client-centered methods to listen and reflect what matters most to each individual. Cognitive behavioral techniques help people notice unhelpful thoughts and try different behaviors. Mindfulness practices are offered to reduce reactivity and build moment-to-moment awareness.

Barbara has worked extensively with older adults, caregivers, and people feeling isolated or overwhelmed by caring responsibilities. She also addresses concerns like abandonment, codependency, communication struggles, and guilt or shame. She helps people facing end-of-life issues, hospice concerns, and the emotional demands of caring for someone with an intellectual disability.

Sessions are grounded in real-world problem solving. Barbara draws on motivational interviewing to help people clarify goals and stay motivated. Psychodynamic ideas can be used to look at recurring patterns that cause pain. The work is collaborative and paced to each person's needs.

People who come to her often want steady support through change. Barbara helps clients build coping skills, create clearer boundaries, and reconnect to a sense of direction. She aims to make therapy understandable and useful for everyday life.

Therapeutic approaches and online care options

Barbara commonly uses client-centered therapy, which means she listens closely and helps people identify what matters most to them before suggesting steps forward. This approach is useful for building trust and clarifying personal goals.

She also draws on cognitive behavioral therapy, which focuses on noticing unhelpful thoughts and testing different behaviors to reduce anxiety or depression. CBT is practical and often helps when people want short-term tools for specific problems.

Finding the right mix of approaches is part of the work together. The therapist will discuss goals, try methods that fit the person's needs, and adjust the plan as progress is made. This collaborative process helps tailor sessions to each person's concerns and pace.

Online formats include video calls, phone sessions, live chat, and text-based messaging. Video lets people have a face-to-face conversation when schedules allow. Phone sessions can be simpler when bandwidth is limited or when a shorter check-in is needed. Live chat and text messaging offer ongoing, flexible ways to stay connected between longer appointments. These options make it easier to fit therapy into busy lives and to keep consistent momentum toward goals.