Dr. Lucy Parker-Barnes, LMHC, LCPC

How narrative and acceptance work in online therapy

Dr. Parker-Barnes uses Narrative Therapy to help people tell and reframe the stories that shape their behavior. This approach helps when past events or repeating patterns feel stuck, allowing clients to notice alternative storylines and make different choices. She also draws on Acceptance and Commitment Therapy, or ACT, which focuses on identifying values and taking small actions toward them even when strong feelings are present. ACT is useful for anxiety, depression, grief, and coping with life changes. In sessions she mixes ACT ideas with client-centered listening to keep the work grounded in each persons priorities. Finding the right approach is a collaborative process. She will talk with clients about their goals and try methods that match those aims. If a strategy does not fit, she adjusts the plan and tests other options until something feels useful. Online therapy offers practical flexibility. Video calls let people read nonverbal cues and build rapport, while phone sessions use less bandwidth and can be easier on busy days. Live chat and text-based messaging work well for short check-ins, mood tracking, or when someone prefers to write rather than speak. These options make it easier to fit therapy into work, caregiving, or travel schedules while using the approaches described above.