About Jennifer DeBarbieri, LMHC, LADC
Finding the right therapist is kind of a strange process.
You read through profiles and try to imagine whether a stranger is going to “get you,” and whether the conversation will feel natural or a little stiff at first–almost like a job interview or even like dating, where you’re figuring out if there’s a real fit.
I can’t promise it won’t feel a little awkward in the beginning. Most meaningful things do. Therapy often takes a few sessions to settle in. What I can tell you is what therapy with me actually looks like once we get there.
Working with me
I ask a lot of questions. I'm curious about what you're actually dealing with, not just the label that might come with it. I'm also not going to hand you a workbook and send you home with a checklist.
What I do is think with you. We’ll look at what's working, what isn't, what you've tried before, and why it did or didn't help. We follow whatever thread seems most worth pulling. We’ll have real conversations. Some of those conversations will be heavy. Some of them can even end up being kind of funny.
Who I work well with
I work well with people who come in ready to engage. You don't have to have anything figured out, and you don't have to always agree with me either. But this isn't a process where I do most of the work while you wait for it to kick in. If you want someone to give general advice, or tell you what to do, I'm probably not the right fit either.
I also enjoy working with clients from diverse cultural backgrounds and I'm sensitive to the role culture plays in mental health.
Areas of Specialization
I intentionally work with a wide range of people. After more than 12 years in this field, I've found that variety is part of what keeps the work good, both for me and for the people I work with.
Individuals
Couples
Teenagers
Families
People working through substance use and recovery
Clients with diverse cultural backgrounds
People carrying grief
Men who've been figuring things out alone for a long time
People navigating dating, new relationships, or patterns that keep repeating
People rebuilding after a divorce or separation
I bring the same curiosity to all of it along with a real investment in you, and no assumption that the same approach works for everyone.
My Story
I grew up in Brooklyn with Korean and Italian roots, which gave me an early understanding of what it means to move between cultures and not always fit neatly into one box. I've lived in several different places since, and I've worked alongside people from a wide range of backgrounds and beacause of my background that breadth feels comfortable to me.
I'm based in South Burlington and licensed in Vermont as both a Clinical Mental Health Counselor (LCMHC) and an Alcohol and Drug Counselor (LADC). The dual licensure is meaningful to me because most of the people I work with don't have just one thing going on. Substance use and mental health rarely travel separately, and I wanted training that reflects that.
What brought me to this work was my own recovery process from addiction, which gave me a lived understanding of healing, relapse, resilience, and the long-term process of change. That experience shaped my belief that recovery is possible, but rarely linear, and that people benefit most from support that is both compassionate and honest. I was also deeply impacted by caring for my father during his illness and end-of-life process while he was living with mental health challenges.
These experiences mean that when someone comes in with something heavy or hard to name, I'm not easily thrown off.
Training and credentials
-
Licensed Clinical Mental Health Counselor (LCMHC) #068.0136367, Vermont
Licensed Alcohol and Drug Counselor (LADC) #151.0134173, Vermont
-
M.S., Clinical Mental Health Counseling, Southern New Hampshire University
B.A., Language Arts, Hunter College, City University of New York
-
EMDR Core Skills Certificate (trauma and PTSD)
Couples Infidelity Repair Specialist Certificate (Gottman Method, EFT, attachment science)
Complex Trauma Certification, Levels 1 and 2 (CCTP/CCTP-II)
Advanced Grief Counseling Specialist Certification (CAGCS)
Dialectical Behavior Therapy Certification (C-DBT)
Acceptance and Commitment Therapy and Mindfulness Certificate
Somatic Therapy for Attachment Trauma Certification
OCD Treatment Specialist Certification
Teen and Adolescent Counseling Specialist Certificate
-
Valley Vista Addiction Recovery Center, Clinician (2023-2025)
SaVida Health, Clinician (2025)
Adult Crisis Stabilization Program, Clinician (2016-2017)
Chittenden Clinic, Clinician (2019-2021)
Vermont School for Girls, Clinician in Training (2013-2015)
Crisis Support Line, Clinician in Training (2015-2016)
Outside the office
Outside the office, I am a parent and single mom. I stay grounded through Pilates, yoga, and weightlifting.
I enjoy exploring different cultures through food, travel, and literature. I especially love Korean cuisine; kimchi is one of my favorite foods. I enjoy reading poetry and am drawn to writers such as Charles Bukowski and Sylvia Plath.
Travel is another important source of inspiration and connection for me. One place I hope to visit is Cinque Terre, Italy, where my family has roots, as well as the Galápagos Islands. A place I've already visited and deeply loved is Glacier National Park in Montana, its natural beauty left a lasting impression on me.
You're here. That's the hard part.
The rest we do together.
Book a session and we'll take it from there. Most major insurance plans are accepted, and your first appointment is just a first appointment–no pressure, no long-term commitment required.
For more info, visit my FAQ page→