Annette Rios-Barrera, LCSW | Therapist in Texas

Trauma informed
Values focused
Bilingual

About Annette

Annette Rios-Barrera is a licensed clinical social worker with 23 years of practice based in Texas. She uses a trauma-informed, relational approach to help people facing anxiety, depression, grief, and identity questions. Her pronouns are she/her and she works with clients from varied backgrounds, including people in the LGBTQ community and those navigating non-monogamous relationships.

She focuses on building emotional safety and practical skills. Sessions aim to restore trust, increase self-awareness, and help clients make choices that match their values. Annette blends direct skill work with empathic listening so people leave with concrete strategies and clearer next steps.

Her work draws on approaches such as Acceptance and Commitment Therapy, attachment-based ideas, and client-centered care. She also integrates elements of cognitive behavioral and dialectical behavior therapy when they suit a person’s goals. Playful techniques, including laughter yoga, are used when they feel helpful and appropriate.

Annette speaks English and Spanish and has experience across many concerns, including relationship strain, codependency, caregiving stress, and life transitions. She describes therapy as a collaborative process and invites clients to set goals that matter to them.

To begin, readers should use the site’s Start Therapy button to complete a short questionnaire and schedule a first session. The scheduling will follow the therapist’s availability and the subscription terms that apply.

Approaches that guide online therapy conversations

Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT) helps people notice unhelpful thoughts and move toward values-driven action. It teaches simple mindfulness and behavioral steps to handle anxiety, depression, and life transitions.

Attachment-Based Therapy looks at how early patterns affect current relationships. It focuses on building trust, improving communication, and developing safer ways of relating with others.

Finding the right approach is part of the work. The therapist will collaborate with each person to decide which methods match their goals and preferences. That means trying strategies, checking what helps, and adjusting course together.

The practical benefit of online therapy is fitting sessions into daily life. Confirm the session formats available before booking, since the profile does not list specific options. Online sessions can make it easier to schedule during a workday, reduce travel time, and allow for shorter check-ins when needed. Licensed professionals can also blend talk-based skill work with experiential exercises that translate well to a digital setting, helping people practice new behaviors between visits.

Areas of expertise

Primary focus

LGBTRelationship issuesFamily conflictsGrief Intimacy-related issues

Also works with

Stress, AnxietyCareer difficultiesDepression Coping with life changes

Additional focus areas

AbandonmentAdoption and foster careAging and geriatric issuesAttachment issuesAutism and Asperger SyndromeAvoidant personalityBDSM, kink, and alternative sex cultureBlended family issuesBody imageCancerCaregiver issues and stressChronic pain, illness, and disabilityCo-morbidityCodependency Commitment issues Communication problems Control issuesCoping with natural or human-caused disasterDependent personalityDisruptive Mood Dysregulation Disorder (DMDD)Divorce and separation Domestic violenceDrug and alcohol addictionEating and food-related issuesEmptinessFamily of origin issuesFamily problemsFatherhood issuesFertility issuesFirst responder issuesForgivenessGender dysphoriaGuilt and shameHIV / AIDSHoardingHospice and end-of-life counselingImmigration issuesImpulsivityInfidelityIntellectual disabilityIsolation / loneliness JealousyLife purposeMen's issuesMidlife crisisVeteran and Armed Forces IssuesMoney and financial issuesMood disordersMulticultural concernsNarcissismObsessions, compulsions, and OCDPanic disorder and panic attacksParanoiaPersonality disordersPhobiasPolyamory / non-monogamous relationshipsPostpartum depressionPost-traumatic stressPregnancy and childbirthPrejudice and discriminationProcess addiction (porn, exercise, gambling)Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD)Self-harmSelf-loveSex addictionSexual assault and abuseSexual dysfunctionSexualitySmoking / vaping cessationSocial anxiety and phobiaWomen's issuesWorkplace issuesYoung adult issues

Therapeutic approaches

Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT)Attachment-Based TherapyClient-Centered TherapyCognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT)Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT)Emotionally-Focused Therapy (EFT)Existential TherapyEye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing (EMDR)Gottman MethodJungian TherapyMindfulness TherapyMotivational InterviewingNarrative TherapyPsychodynamic TherapySolution-Focused TherapySomatic TherapyTrauma-Focused TherapyInternal Family SystemsSystemic Therapy

Experience

23+ years

Credentials

Texas

Languages

English, Spanish

Frequently asked questions

What concerns does she address?

Annette works with anxiety, depression, grief, relationship and intimacy issues, stress, career shifts, and life changes. She also supports people facing codependency, attachment issues, and caregiver strain.

How would you describe her therapeutic style?

Her style is trauma-informed and relational with a practical focus on skills and values. Sessions combine listening, emotional work, and concrete strategies to help people move forward.

What is her professional background?

She has 23 years of clinical experience working in mental health and relational care. That background includes work with diverse identities and complex life challenges.

What credentials and location are listed?

She is a LCSW - Licensed Clinical Social Worker - practicing in Texas.

Which languages are supported?

Sessions are offered in English and Spanish, and she accepts international clients.

What session formats are available?

The original profile does not specify session formats. Please confirm current session options before booking.

How are fees handled?

Cost varies with location and scheduling; sessions use a subscription that can be canceled at any time. Exact rates depend on location and the subscription plan.

How do I begin working with her?

Click the Start Therapy button, complete a short matching questionnaire, and schedule according to the therapist’s availability.

Profile details come from information the therapist supplied to BetterHelp. Credential and registration rules differ between the United States, the United Kingdom and Australia.